


Harry's Gift

by Bonfoi



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Baking, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Community: adventdrabbles, Cooking, Fluff, HP: EWE, Humor, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-01
Updated: 2016-01-23
Packaged: 2018-05-10 19:20:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 30,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5597782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bonfoi/pseuds/Bonfoi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This December, Harry gets involved in a matchmaking scheme to bring together Remus and Snape.  He didn't plan on finding his own sweetheart, but this is the Christmas season after all!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Alisanne](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alisanne/gifts), [Sealcat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sealcat/gifts).



> First of all, many thanks to all the lovely elves who magically appear to make the adventdrabbles comm such a fun place to come read and play. Second, I'd like to dedicate this year's scribbling to the wonderful sealcat who so kindly collated a list of the prompts from December 1st to the 24th. And, last, but certainly not least, one of my favourite people to write for and in the same fest: alisanne, who has always been so kind to me, even when I disappear for months...thanks, alisanne for being such a wonderful part of the HP fandom and my one of my favourite ducks, and for hosting adventdrabbles on IJ and LJ. And to all, a Merry Xmas and all the goodwill and joy you can handle! And, on top of that, a hope-filled New Year!
> 
>  **Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
> 
> * * *

~~~~~~ 

**December 1st**

 

Harry Potter, auror, godfather, unknown collector of medieval recipes, and unofficial keeper of stray former Death Eaters, stared out of his kitchen window at the vibrant pink and gold painted on last night's new-fallen snow. He sipped his milky green tea—sacrilege if he paid any attention to Ron and his mum—while he thought on his latest project, code name _Operation Scowl and Howl_.

He chuckled to himself as he mouthed the name against his tea mug. Whatever he thought of Blaise Zabini, the ambiguous git had a flair for verbal imagery. He could still picture Malfoy's gobsmacked expression when they'd brought him in on their little venture and Zabini had used that phrase. Harry flicked his right index finger at his kitchen window and it opened, letting in the brisk morning air barely warmed by the winter sunrise, which helped cool his tea as well as his flushed cheeks as he thought about Malfoy's face...and cheeks...and those delicate ears of his...and... Harry shook his head and took a deep breath of cool winter air before gulping down the last of his tea.

It was time to think about getting Scowl and Howl in the same room without losing a limb.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**December 2nd**

 

Harry spit out the remnants of the snowball that Severus _Sodding_ Snape had just drilled into his face, and by Muggle means, too! Who would ever have thought Snape could have been a bloody century bowler if he'd only grown up exclusively Muggle? Harry's eyes narrowed as he dived out of the path of another snowball, this one lobbed by Draco Malfoy as if he'd never before formed snow into a ball...ever! Which, considering his parents, might _just_ be the literal truth.

"Oi! Malfoy!" Ron yelled out. Harry turned his head toward where the shout came from and saw Ron standing out in the open, seemingly without a snowball in sight. He shook his head when Malfoy's bright blond head popped up from behind a fallen oak, scarf rucked up and mouth opening to yell back when, from behind Ron's broad back, Hermione let loose with her snowballs. She was a wicked asset as she could throw overhand with either right or left, which made avoiding her pitches awfully difficult.

Malfoy caught the first snowball in his forehead, the thing breaking like an egg across his eyes and nose. He sputtered and fell backward with a croaking, dramatic cry of, "Severus, avenge me!"

Harry laughed outright at sheer melodrama of it all, and for his troubles, was targeted not only by Snape but by Zabini...and someone else. Three snowballs, one tightly packed, pelted Harry as he flinched and flailed until he fell onto his knees and gave his own performance with accompanying gasps, flailing extremities, even a hand to the forehead, and a warbling cry that sounded like the air escaping a punctured tyre.

Soon, everyone was gathered around Harry's prone form, Hermione toeing him in the arm with her snowy boots and dissecting his theatrics in a dry tone while Snape and Malfoy loudly plotted how to erect an igloo over him to commemorate their brilliantly executed plan, and Ron and the mysterious third thrower were conversing just far enough away that their conversation was just a lot of mumbling. Harry surged to his feet—with a little help from some wandless magic—and his hidden snowballs zoomed up and around to plop everyone on the head. Once they were huffing and laughing, Harry swung an arm around Remus' shoulders with a merry chuckle.

"Helping the opposition, eh, Remus? I always knew you had a soft spot for the underdog."

"Underdog, Harry?" Remus looked down at his honorary godson. "Oh, heaven's no. I lost a bet with Draco." Draco guffawed inelegantly at Harry's incredulous look while Snape's lips twitched into a small smile.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**December 3rd**

 

"Potter, why are you standing on my stoop with a box of...are those _Peppermint Toads_?" Snape quickly reached out and snatched the red-and-white box from Harry's hands and slammed the door in the younger man's surprised face.

After a moment of shock, Harry hammered on the door. "Hey, Snape! Severus!! Those are for Malfoy, you berk!"

Someone below him on the stairs snickered and Harry spun around, almost toppling off before he righted himself. He was looking down toward Draco Malfoy's smiling face, his own pinkening under the other man's dancing eyes. "Uh...hi," he finally, lamely uttered.

"Potter, did no one tell you Severus has an absolute lust for all things peppermint?" Malfoy asked. When Harry shook his head, Draco laughed again and climbed the stairs, a Muggle key in his hand. "Let me by and we'll see if we can wrest what's left of the Peppermint Frogs from Severus' hands."

Harry chuckled as he followed Malfoy through the door. "So, how is it living with Snape? I often wondered if he was a neatnik or a thorough mess-maker." He looked at the narrow foyer, noting that it wasn't as dark or dank as it had been during the war. "Looks like he's done some renovation, which really makes the place, if you ask me."

Malfoy hung up his things on a hatrack, calling out for Snape. "Severus! Severus Snape, those Peppermint Toads aren't yours!"

Snape appeared at the end of the foyer, the red-and-white box clutched in his hands. "No! Perfidy! These are _my_ favourites at this time of year." He hugged the box to his chest and dramatically pointed at Harry. " _He_ let me have them. They're mine!"

Malfoy muttered out of the corner of his mouth, "See, he's mad for anything peppermint." Then he began walking slowly and carefully toward Severus. "Now, Severus, if nothing else, you have to share."

He didn't get much farther than that when Snape shook his arm to release his wand and got hexed for his troubles. Snape put his nose in the air and turned on his heel, the sweets box still hugged tight.

"Next time, Potter, bring double. Then, I _might_ consider sharing."

Harry just stood there, watching Malfoy dance around the foyer with his boots smouldering and Snape's rich chuckle dying away.

"It's going to be a barmy December, isn't it?" he finally said with his own laugh.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**December 4th**

 

Remembering what happened when he'd visited Snape and Malfoy, Harry put together two fruitcakes, one for Remus and one for Minerva. He was fairly certain they wouldn't fight a duel over just one, but he wanted to sure!

He lifted out the heavy top of his antique glass pickling jar he'd used for his brandied peaches, and watched as the thick, fragrant liquid drained away before he gently dropped the peaches into the batter. Then he set aside the slotted spoon, unscrewed another jar, this one a Muggle canning jar with a ring and separate lid. He sniffed appreciatively as the aroma of candied orange peels rose up from the opening and then reached inside to pull out a two-foot long length of orange peel; he'd always liked how a really long peel curled around itself. After cutting the candied rind into very thing matchsticks and folding them into his batter, he set it aside in the refrigerator.

While the batter cooled and thickened, he wrapped the fruitcakes that had cooled from the night before. He grinned wickedly at the thought of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy's surprise when Snowball, Hedwig's chick, delivered it later that day. With any luck it would be during breakfast and Lucius would be caught taking a sip of his morning tea. The others were destined for Ron and Hermione, Neville and Luna, Ginny and her beau, Blaise Zabini, and several others who didn't know they were getting a gift from him. 

When the fruitcakes were boxed, wrapped, and readied, Harry sent off Snowball to Malfoy Senior and Wife, and then made a Floo call to the village owlpostmistress for several more owls. He leaned back and smiled. All in all, it had been a good day.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**December 5th**

 

The morning of the fifth dawned clear and cold. Harry apparated to the gates of Hogwarts, bypassing Hogsmeade so he could personally deliver Minerva and Remus' fruitcakes, all in order to keep his secret passion as confidential as he could.

He slowly walked up the winding path, his satchel with the fruitcakes slung over his shoulder. With each step, he thought about Operation Howl and Scowl. After he dropped off Remus' gift, perhaps he could convince Minerva to help him get the two subjects together.

"Harry! Hey, Harry! Come and skate with us!"

Harry stopped and turned in the direction from which the shout came. It was the Black Lake, and Minerva, Remus, and several others were ice skating. Minerva had both hands in a Victorian-style muff that looked like black velvet as she and, of all people, Lucius Malfoy, skated by in perfect synchronicity. Harry's jaw dropped as they glided past him, the low murmur of a conversation lingering in the cold air behind them.

"Frightening, ain't it?"

Harry spun around to find Blaise standing behind him, Snape and Narcissa Malfoy just a few steps beyond him. A trio of house-elves, bundled up in hats and scarves knitted by Hermione from the looks of them, had trays of what looked like steamy, hot chocolate and tea floating behind them and quite a few hampers of what were certain to be pumpkin tarts, finger sandwiches, and possibly ginger snaps, if Harry's nose was any judge.

"Ah, yeah. So, what's the reason for the party? Isn't school still in session?" Harry nodded at Narcissa. "Hallo, ma'am."

Narcissa chuckled and politely nodded hello in response. "Ah, Mr. Potter, good morning to you. As to the reason, well, dear Lucius and the board of governors and the Wizengamot have come to celebrate the conjunction of the Great Centaur star and our sun. It only happens once every 552 years."

Harry laughed. "Okay, that explains Filch skating by with Professor Vector, but your husband and Headmistress McGonagall...that's, ah, that's..." Harry's ears got red, "that's just plain odd," he finished lamely.

"It's odd to everyone, Mr. Potter, but I dosed Lucuis with Pepper-Up Potion laced with Hawthorne's Happiness-Inducing Libation. It's good for eight hours of conviviality and cordial actions." Narcissa leaned close and whispered conspiratorially, "Headmistress McGonagall sent me the Hawthorne's." 

Harry grinned back at her saucy smile and shared a laughing look with Zabini. Yeah, he could actually believe the ol' cat, and he meant that with all the respect in his heart, might do that. "She _does_ think ahead, doesn't she?" he murmured back at her.

Narcissa watched her husband whirl Minerva in a perfect circle. "That's the reason all of us mothers have made certain she stays exactly where she is. A very positive role model is Headmistress McGonagall."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**December 6th**

 

While Harry hadn't actively gotten Howl and Scowl together, he thought that the surprising activity during the skating party the day before might have been a serendipitous start...

> Remus had come out with his Sixth Year Defence Against the Dark Arts class for a practicum on Finnish Fighting Snow Devils and the fearful, frozen-faced Blue Willies—which were really just gnomes that had gotten frost-bit, and which had got blizzard-barmy because of it. Neither one was truly Dark, but during Late Autumn and Winter, they did cause the worst spots of trouble for the normal wizarding home.
> 
> Snape had come out to skate with the school governors, and to cozen a few Wizengamot members for an increase in the next year's Potions laboratory budget. He'd donned a pair of skates he'd Transfigured from two black pearls, which made Minerva clap like a schoolgirl—and had Harry resolving to capture the memory for Hermione and Remus looking a bit starry-eyed.
> 
> Well, Harry watched Remus and his students from the corner of his eye as he chatted with some of the witches and wizards standing on the shore, watching the skaters. He noticed one pair, a ginger-haired boy and a pigtailed blonde girl who seemed intent on mischief. He watched as the boy reached into his robes and brought a closed fist and then tossed whatever it was into the snow just behind Remus as he instructed the other students. Then the girl, a Hufflepuff by her scarf, waggled her wand in that same direction and muttered something Harry couldn't catch.
> 
> To everyone's surprise and dismay, Remus was frozen in the middle of his lecturing. He glinted under the late autumn sun, transformed into a life-sized ice sculpture. Harry was already raced toward the two tricksters as Snape literally flew off the ice to Remus' icy side.
> 
> "Oi, you two! What did you do?" Harry growled out as he snagged the back of the boy's Slytherin robes. "Talk, my fine fellow, or would you like me to turn you over to Professor Snape?"
> 
> "Don't do it, Cuthbert!" the girl hissed as she tugged at her compatriot's arm. "He can't do anything to us. He's not a professor."
> 
> Snape appeared at Harry's side as if he'd apparated there. "Miss Paddington-Potts, I _am_ a professor," he said darkly. "You shan't leave Hogwarts with anything above a Terrible if you don't _start_ talking." He slanted a frosty look at Cuthbert. "And you, Mr. Wood, are no credit to your House. We do not practice our whiles in such obvious manners." He gritted his teeth. "Ten points from Slytherin and Hufflepuff."
> 
> Miss Paddington-Potts scowled at Snape while Cuthbert hung his head in shame. "Yessir, Professor. Eugenia," he indicated his partner-in-crime, "created the ice statue potion in her spare time while I made the container." He looked earnestly up at his head of house. "It was supposed to be a surprise for our parents, but they're here and we can't get together over the Winter Hols and we had to show them we were just as good at Potions and Transfiguration as they were," he spewed out in a rush. All the time he was confessing, Eugenia had clutched his hand, glaring at everyone as if daring them to say anything about it.
> 
> Snape turned his attention to Eugenia. "Did you create a counter-potion, Miss Paddington-Potts?" He leaned forward and growled.
> 
> Eugenia barely flinched. "What do you take me for, some harebrained, foolish Gryffindor? Hufflepuffs may be more _laissez-faire_ , but I do know my potions protocols! Of course I created an anti-freeze potion...Professor."
> 
> Harry had to bite his lip as he saw what Snape couldn't: Remus' frozen form was becoming opaque and more alive-looking as Snape attended to the two miscreants. As Snape quizzed Eugenia on the anti-freeze potion, Harry tried to bite back his relieved smile. Suddenly, Remus seemed to shimmer and then he stepped forward, shards of ice cracking off with sharp snaps that had everyone turning toward the sound.
> 
> The two students were gobsmacked at the sight of a thawing, and guffawing, Professor Remus Lupin. He spun around, twirling off chunks of ice and droplets of water, as he strode toward them. He halted a yard from the tableau of Snape leaning into Eugenia's personal space, Cuthbert's open mouth and stunned expression, and Harry's not-so-looming presence.
> 
> "Mr. Wood, Miss Paddington-Potts, you'll never make a Wheeze like the Weasley Twins if you don't take into account as many variables as possible." He laughed—he actually had the audacity to laugh—as he continued. "Many potions don't affect werewolves in the same way as they do other witches and wizards. So, five points each to Slytherin and Hufflepuff for innovation, but five points from Slytherin and Hufflepuff for insufficient research." He turned his blinding smile toward Snape. "Hello, Severus. So kind of you to threaten them on my behalf."

The afternoon had gone downhill after that, though Harry had to admit watching Snape fling a Hot-foot Hex at Remus and the resulting chase back up to the castle was a pretty good finish to the day as far as he was concerned.

He looked at the small magical crystal figurine that had been delivered by Mrs. Malfoy's raven that morning and grinned. It really captured Remus' smiling face and fleet fleeing from Snape's very accurate hexes and the hop-hop-run his adopted godfather had employed all the way back to the castle.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**December 7th**

 

Harry tugged at the crimson robes edged with blindingly white spun lambswool. They were hot.

"Potter, cease and desist with ruining the line of your outfit."

"Malfoy, how I let you talk me into this, I don't know," Harry whinged.

Malfoy preened in front of the magical mirror cooing at him and tucked a stray lock of white blond hair under his red hat. He fluffed his false beard, magically adhered to his face, and turned toward Harry. "You practically jumped at the chance to help with the orphans, Potter. In fact, it was _you_ who tracked _me_ down in the ministry and insinuated yourself into the annual Malfoy Yuletide benefit."

"Yeah, but I thought I'd just help out behind the scenes, you know." He shivered as Malfoy checked the beard on his face—grown with the help of one of Hermione's tweaks of a Weasley Wizarding Wheeze. "I'm still a bit uncomfortable being the centre of attention."

Malfoy looked Harry up and down and then shook his head. "Potter, tonight you're not here. Father Christmas and his helpers are the main event, not your overly-sensitive ego. So, get in the spirit of the holiday, channel your inner spirit of Yule happiness, and go out there and pass out smiles and presents, not necessarily in that order."

And so, for three hours and thirty-two minutes, Harry Potter was the living embodiment of Father Christmas, passing out boxes and tins filled with sweet treats, wizarding dolls, Muggle handmade toys, Weasley-knitted mittens and scarves, daintily potted Longbottom plants, and the like. The orphans—a hodgepodge of ages—were thrilled with the gifts, and with the people attending, tho' they weren't to know until the new year that most of the guests were really there because they'd been cleared to adopt the children.

After the last child had been sent off to the bed, smiling tiredly and loaded down with gifts both whimsical and practical, Harry and Malfoy— _Draco, Harry, please call me Draco. We've know each other long enough by now_ —sat down side-by-side and huffed out a pair of tired chuckles. 

"Dear Merlin, Draco, who knew kids could be so sweet?" Harry asked rhetorically.

Draco handed him a punch cup of something bubbling and fizzing. "Here, have some Christmas cheer, Harry. You deserve it." They clinked cups and sipped in companionable silence, their shoulders rubbing every so often. Minutes passed, neither one doing anything but seemingly snuggling closer, until Harry heard the chiming of a clock in the distance.

"It's gone midnight. I've got to be in the auror's office at eight, or Kingsley will have my hide." His lips curled in a grimace. "I've got to host a review for some of the new recruits, before they head off to the Winter bootcamp."

Draco finished off his punch and banished the crystal cup back to the kitchen with a sigh. He blew on the tip of his wand, which made Harry laugh. "It's your fault for being so dependable, Harry. Besides, Pansy's cousin told me that you've been helping those new recruits whenever they need it, including extra duelling practices. Face it, you're just soft-hearted under all that crustiness." Draco chuckled at Harry's bemused look.

"Now, since you have to be the worker bee tomorrow, let's get that Father Christmas costume back in the box so I can return it to Madam Malkin's."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**December 8th**

 

Harry stood just behind Draco's shoulder as he congratulated Pansy Parkinson, well, now Pansy Weasley. He shared a still stunned look with Ron, one of the groomsmen for his brother, Percy.

"Good job, Pans." Draco hugged the new wife. "We'll have to get together when you're back from your honeymoon."

"Yes, we will," Pansy looked from Draco to Harry and back, an inquiry in her gaze. 

"Yes, yes, well...let me congratulate your new husband," Draco huffed out in a rush as he turned toward a smiling, blushing Percy.

Harry stepped up and shook hands with Pansy. "Parkin—Mrs. Weasley, congratulations. I hope you're as happy as Percy's parents have been."

Pansy smiled and dipped her head as she clasped Harry's hand in both of hers. "Potter, that's very nice of you to say." She leaned forward as she glanced toward her husband and pulled Harry nearer. "I got very lucky, meeting Percy when I did. And, if it weren't for Molly, I really don't think I'd be standing here..."

"Of course you would, dear." Molly slipped next to Pansy's side and hugged Harry. "Thank you for all your help, Harry. We couldn't have done it without you." Harry's ears burned.

"I didn't do anything, Mrs. Weasley." He made to step toward Percy. 

"Mum, leave off Harry," Percy said softly as he pulled Harry into a hug, much to Draco's chuckling delight. Ignoring everyone else, Percy whispered into Harry's ear, "But, you know you _did_ make it easier to marry my Pansy, helping me with Mum and Dad, so if you need anything, Harry, anything at all, it's yours." He released Harry into Draco's waiting hands and turned to the next person in the receiving line.

"C'mon, Potter. I think you need a drink." Draco wrapped a hand around Harry's elbow and guided the man to their designated table. "Just sit down and soak in the love, Harry," he said with a chuckle.

"Yeah, says you. It's not like I did anything special, Draco. I mean, all I did was make sure Pansy got a fair shake when she applied for a ministry job and I talked to Molly when those two started sharing lunches." Harry reached for the glass near the card with his name on it. He sipped at the cool pumpkin juice. "It's what anyone would have done."

Draco leaned back and smiled at Harry. "No, Harry, not anyone, only you." He toasted Harry with his own pumpkin juice. "You're a hero, Potter, just accept it and enjoy the food."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**December 9th** Christmas Birthday

 

_Bang! Shwoosh!_

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BLAISE!"

Draco leaned close enough to yell into Harry's ear. "I will get you for this, Potter!"

Harry turned his head, his warm, moist breath ghosting over Draco's cheek as he responded, just as loudly, "He's _your_ friend, too, Draco!"

Blaise Zabini ran through the garden behind the Burrow, whooping and hollering with George and Ron and several other Weasleys, all of them shooting off Weasley Wheezes Fantastically Fiery Fireworks with great, and joyous, abandon. Ginny rolled her eyes and kept right on talking with Fleur and Hermione, studiously ignoring their antics.

Harry grabbed Draco's arm and dragged him around the other side of the house, the quieter side. Once there, he conjured a bench and, at Draco's sceptical look, laid on a heating charm. They sat down and both took a deep breath and slowly released it.

"I never knew just how, ah, boisterous, the Weasley clan could be. I mean, the Twins were quite loud, even your ginger friend was a bit over-the-top, but taken all together?!" Draco turned his body so he could look Harry in the eye. "Seriously, Harry, all of these Weasleys and their significant others and their children and friends?! Ye gods, it's as if Zeus created living thunder and forgot to save it for a truly rainy day."

Harry laughed a laugh that came from the soles of his feet and gained momentum as it exited between his lips. When it died down, he grinned at Draco. "Just wait. You're friends with Zabini. Zabini will soon marry into the Weasleys. You're my friend, and Hermione's, now. That means you've got three chances to experience this for yourself for years." He began crowing with laughter as Draco's eyes grew even wider.

"December was always for Christmas, Harry."

Harry patted Draco's arm. "Well, there are more days, and from now on, you get to celebrate Blaise's birth the Weasley way, and that's a very, very good thing." He slid closer and rubbed his shoulder against Draco's. "I know it's overwhelming, but I survived, and you will too."

_"Wha-hoo!"_

_"Blaise, come back here! Ron, you get him down from there, right now!"_

_"Oi! Ginny, you should see the view from up here, _cara mia_!_

_"Ron, I'm going to turn you into a toad if you don't get my boyfriend down here right now!_

Draco and Harry shared a look. 

"So, you're a hero, Potter. What say we go save Blaise before this birthday becomes his last?"

Harry smiled and stood up, pulling Draco with him. "Sure, why not? You need some practice undoing Weasley family celebration spells anyway."

"Merlin, Potter, what have I gotten into?" 

Harry grabbed his hand and dragged him around the other side of the Burrow. "Nothing you can't handle, Draco, nothing at all that you can't handle."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**December 10th**

 

Early the next morning, Harry apparated just outside of the Burrows anti-apparation wards, enjoying the contrast between last night's merry, and loud, celebration of Zabini's birthday and the brilliant morning sunshine on the snow in the garden. The birds flitting around the bare branches of a small oak were even more colourful than the fireworks the night before, which just went to show how amazing Nature was.

Harry's musings were interrupted by a low chuckle coming from behind the corner where the back door was. He cast a Silencio on himself and slowly approached the backyard.

"...so true, Molly. It is a wonderful morning for breakfast al fresco or is that frigio?"

"You know how to cast a heating charm as well as I do Remus. Now, on another topic... Remus, you and Severus are a good example of a Gryffindor and a Slytherin overcoming differences, and now if you two would just come right out and let everyone know..."

"Severus deserves some fun, Molly." Remus chuckled once more. "He's quite proud of how Draco's coming along and how Harry's become his own man. He's even complimented me on Harry's plotting and scheming as it related to getting Slytherins into romantic relationships."

Molly's titter joined Remus' laughter. "Aye, you're right there, Remus. I'm very glad Harry introduced Blaise to our Ginny. He's much more Ginny's type. Not to say Harry wasn't, but Harry needed someone more grounded, and Blaise is that to our Ginevra." The sound of china sliding across a table made Harry's ears perk up. Molly's voice was softer when she spoke once more. "So, what's the word on Harry and Draco? Have you and Severus had any luck getting those two _together_?"

Harry almost fell around the corner in shock. Here he was playing matchmaker to Remus and Snape and they were trying to do the same for him and Remus?! He turned around and went back to where he'd landed; he needed to do some of that Slytherinesque planning!

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**December 11th**

 

The scents of orange and cinnamon were wafting out of the open office door, making everyone who walked by to breathe deeply and go their merry ways with some pep in their step. At least that's what Harry thought as he approached Draco's office.

"Now, Mortimer, this Christmas punch recipe comes from my great-grandmother Iphigenia Black Potter. She got it from her sister, Arabella Black Dumbledore, a cousin of Headmaster Dumbledore's. It had been in the Dumbledore family for over four centuries before that."

Another voice, perhaps Mortimer's, spoke. "Sounds bloody old and nothing else."

A woman's voice, a bit strident, responded before Draco could. "Listen, you berk, I have to get through this culinary crap so I can get my restaurateur's license. You make it so I have work harder and I'll hex your bollocks into that punch bowl and let ol' Mort whip 'em to a froth." There was the sound of a body being shaken. "Got that, Groper?"

"Are you finished, Miss Bulstrode?" Draco said drily. Harry almost laughed out loud at the idea of Millie Bulstrode taking cooking classes under Draco's tutelage, but he caught himself in time.

"Now that Mr. Groper is properly silenced, let's get back to a traditional Christmas punch. Seven oranges are used for the base of this recipe. The orange peel will be grated and set aside for now. Save two orange slices for garnishing and crush the rest, extracting as much juice as possible; set the remnants aside since we have plans for those as well.

"Your cinnamon can remain in the sticks or can be broken up and ground in a fine powder; the strength of the punch begins with this step. The sticks will be soaked in a white whine, Rhenish if you can find it, or a plain white, for a milder punch. The powder will be sifted with a finely granulated sugar to make a paste with added cinnamon oil and rosewater."

"How much cinnamon oil and rosewater, Mr. Malfoy?"

"There's a chart in your recipe hand-out. You'll see how the amounts can affect the flavour and strength of the punch. If you're using the sticks, there's another chart for just the sugar, cinnamon oil, and rosewater."

Harry stood out of sight near the door, listening raptly as Draco went through the punch recipe, answering questions and mixing, from the lovely smell of it, a very strong, very aromatic punch. After a few minutes, he heard Draco warn the students about combustion and paid closer attention.

"Now that we've got the punch put together and stirred so that all the sugar has been absorbed, we'll need to rapidly heat this mixture to a boil. During the Victorian period, a poker was heated with an Incendio or by placing it into a lit brazier or a fire. This was a bit uncertain since most witches and wizards weren't fire mages like some of our medieval forbearers, so another method had to be created." Harry peeked around the doorway and saw Draco whip away a cloth from something that looked a lot like a poker. " _Voila!_ The firebrand." When the students didn't seem impressed, Draco huffed out a laugh and went on. "The firebrand was created by Paracelsus after he observed a salamander in his fireplace. He noted that there was a rock in the fire that retained more heat for the salamander when the flames died down. That rock was volcanic and had a high concentration of iron minerals and when worked, it still retained the ability to hold onto the heat energy put into it. With time, Paracelsus created the firebrand, which has heat-retaining spells and warming charms laid into it. Chefs the world over make use of the firebrand, which was, amazingly never meant for cooking."

Groper interrupted Draco. "So what was it meant for, eh? Lightin' flambeaus?"

Harry rolled his eyes at the rude wanker's disruption. "Close, Mr. Groper. It was meant for branding prisoners. Paracelsus had meant it as a safer, more humane way of punishment instead of death." Draco looked around the room. "I for one am very glad that it became a tool of the chef and _not_ the gaoler. Setting the history aside, the spells metallurgical mages and goblins have laid into the metal during its creation have made the firebrand a necessary part of our authentic Christmas punch recipes.

"Everyone's to take the recipe home tonight and tomorrow we'll put together bowls for taste-testing. Remember, this punch will be part of your menu for the Christmas buffet. If anyone has questions, please send me a note via owl up to nine o'clock tonight. That's all."

Harry stepped through the door as the soon-to-be restaurateurs gathered up their things and began leaving. Soon, only a very quiet house-elf, Draco, and Millie Bulstrode were left.

"Not bad, Malfoy. Makes me want to make a Christmas punch tonight."

"Would make Harry Potter Sir very good Chrissymas guest," the house-elf said.

"Harry, meet Mortimer, my assistant. Mortimer, Harry Potter." The two of them exchanged greetings before Draco set him to collecting odds and ends left over from the class.

Millie chuckled. "You wouldn't say that if you had to make the same thing over and over to get it right, Potter."

"Now, Millie, you know you share the fruits of your labours with your neighbours, especially that girl two doors down from you, you know, Lavender Brown, right?" Draco said without looking at her.

Harry goggled at Millie. "Lavender Brown? You and Ron could swap stories, but I'd make sure you don't talk anywhere near Hermione. You'd both be walking funny for a week," he finally choked out.

Smirking, Millie shrugged into a winter robe and wrapped a ruby red scarf around her throat. "You should talk, Potter, you're the one who introduced us when you helped her move into the building."

Harry looked imploringly at Draco. "Honestly, I had no idea," he said weakly as Draco laughed and Millie exited the room. Looking anywhere but at Draco, Harry grabbed the weakest of conversational gambits: "So...Mortimer...tell me about your favourite recipes."

Draco just shook his head and smiled at Harry's antics.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**December 12th**

 

"That was some dinner last night, Draco. You and Millie and Mortimer are really great cooks."

Draco turned away from the stove, the tips of his ears a bit red. "Well, now we're going to have dessert." He summoned some grated lemon rind and folded it the cooled mixture in front of him. "If I remember rightly, you said that you liked lemon meringues once, didn't you? And since these tarts are small and fluffy, you shouldn't be too weighed down." He finished whatever he was doing and turned around with a plate of individual lemon meringue tarts, much to Harry's delight.

As he reached for one, someone knocked on Draco's door. It couldn't be Snape, because Harry had made certain Remus was taking him to a Magical Dicken's Christmas walking tour—tickets purchased by Harry, just to make certain they both went—and Draco hadn't indicated anyone else would be coming...

Then he and Draco heard who it was.

_O Come, All Ye's Fateful,_  
_Joyfuls and Triumphant,_  
_O come ye's, o come, ye's to Be-eht-le-ham!_

Draco winced. "It's Mortimer and some of those freed house-elves, courtesy of Hermione's student endeavours. Every year they serenade Severus with a round of Christmas carols."

_Comes and behold him's,_  
_Born the king of snagels,_  
_O comes let us adorns him,_  
_O comes let us adorns him,_  
_O comes let us adorns him,_  
_Chris-is the lores._

Harry grinned. "You're joking, aren't you? Drunken house-elves carolling for Snape? How the hell did he react over the years?" Harry almost choked on his laughter. "I'll wager he hexed a few before he could be stopped the first year, am I right?"

Draco set a tart in front of Harry with an answering grin. "Mother received a frantic house-elf babbling about scarves and house-elves hanging from lightpoles." He chuckled. "She sent Father out to survey the situation and had to go save him from dangling from the peak of the roof." He and Harry shared a good laugh at that image. "And, before you ask, Mother does have a wizarding photo of it. She has always been a forward-thinking woman. Now, eat your tart before it cools and the lemony richness is lessened."

Harry took a bite of his tart and moaned, which made Draco wriggle in his seat as the drunken house-elves moved onto another carol.

_Gods rest ye merry, gentleman,_  
_Lets nothing ye dismay,_  
_Remembers Chrise our saviours was burn on Christmas Days_  
_To save all mens from Shamey's power when we was gones astray,_  
_O, tidings of comforts and joys,_  
_Comforts and boys,_  
_O, tidings of comfort and boys..._

Harry took a second bite of his lemon meringue tart and almost inhaled it as he really listened to the carol. Which made Draco smirk as he nibbled; after all, he'd been through this a few years while Harry was still a drunk house-elf carolling virgin.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**to be continued**


	2. Chapter 2

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**December 13th**

 

"Thanks for coming, Draco. When Hermione said she needed some biscuits, she neglected to mention just how many. When I got her Patronus that she needed not a couple dozen, but a couple dozen different kinds, I got frantic and then I thought of you, and—"

"Potter, clear away from the Floo. Millie's bringing her tools, and at least two dozen peppermint pinwheel sugar biscuits. She should be following along any minute now." Draco stepped aside from the Floo just as a loud, "Oi, there, Potter, coming through!" was shouted.

Millicent Bulstrode stepped through the Floo with a large platter of Christmas biscuits in her arms. A line of bowls and ingredients bobbed along behind her for a minute or two and then floated to the kitchen table. " _Harrumph._ Bit small, Potter, but we can make it work, especially if you leave it to Draco and me." She grinned at Harry and made shooing motions after she set down her biscuit platter. "Let the experts handle this."

Draco took command and pushed Harry toward the Floo. "Let Hermione know we've got things handled, Harry. Just let Millie and me do what we do best." With that, Draco went to Millie's side and began discussing Christmas biscuits.

Harry flitched a couple of Millie's peppermint pinwheels and sat down by the Floo. He grabbed a pinch of Floo Powder and tossed it into the fire. "Hermione Weasley, Dovecote House," he called out.

"Hello, Harry. No, Ron, he didn't ask for you."

Harry laughed. "You're right, Hermione. Draco and Millie Bulstrode are here and helping with the baking."

"Oh, Harry, that means we'll have some wonderful variety then. Will you let them know how much I appreciate their help? _Ron, stop that!_ I've got to run, Harry, but when the biscuits are ready, just Floo call Rosmerta and let her know you're coming through. She's organizing the Christmas baskets. _Ron, if you don't stop that..._ "

Harry chuckled to himself. "Sure thing, Hermione. Tell Ron to behave himself. I'll see you later. Bye." 

"Bye, Harry, and Ron says bye, too!"

Harry ended the Floo call and followed his nose to another platter of biscuits. As he reached for one, Millie swatted his hand. "Potter, you should know better. Those just came out of the oven. Go and grab a treat from that other plate," she indicated one of Harry's plates off to the side. "Those are broken, so they're fair game for you."

Draco laughed and put his tray of walnut shortbread into the oven. "I should have warned you, Harry, Millie runs a tight kitchen." He waggled his fingers at Harry. "Even I've been swatted a few times."

Millie cleared her throat. "Only when you deserved it, Draco. Now, what say we involve Potter in the making of those meringues? He looks strong enough to whip up some eggwhites."

"Oi! I'll have you know I can whip up anything you want me to," Harry laughingly complained.

"All right, then, Harry. We'll see just how good you are." Draco shared a look with Millie. "Let's make some sweet treats, shall we?"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**December 14th**

 

The fourteenth of December was a blustery, snowy day. Harry munched on a walnut shortbread biscotti—at least that's what Draco had told him it was—as he finished his morning coffee. He'd need the energy since he was chaperoning the Christmas festivities at Hogwarts later that day.

_"Potter!" Harry Potter!"_

"Coming!" He sat down by the Floo. "Hey, Ron, what's the trouble?"

"You're needed at Auror HQ, Harry. Seems someone made off with the proceeds from the Christmas cookie sale yesterday." Ron's flaming face looked troubled. "Even conked poor Rosmerta on the noggin."

"I'll be right there, Ron." He ended the call and got his Auror's robes from the closet near the backdoor. He muttered under his breath as he buttoned them, "Stealing cookie money from orphans and abusing Rosemerta, what's the world coming to?"

^^^^^^^^

Harry apparated to the front yard of the Hog's Head. If there was any thievery going on in Hogsmeade, Aberforth Dumbledore would likely know of it.

Harry pushed open the ramshackle door—which was as phony as Snape's snarls nowadays—and stepped into Aberforth's seedy den of iniquity. He noted the low flames in the old-fashioned glass globes and only three obvious patrons—there were more than likely a few in the backroom, but he wasn't really interested in anything but a quick conversation with Aberforth.

"Ah, Harry, ol' boyo. Care for a cup a' cheer, lad? I jest mixed up a cauldron a' hot toddies." Aberforth swiped at the bar with what Harry hoped was a relatively clean bar towel. Keeping that, and a cringe, to himself, Harry greeted Aberforth with a tight smile and sat at the bar.

"A small one, Aberforth. I need some information."

"Yer here 'bout Rosie, ain'tchya?" Aberforth reached under the bar, pulled out a small, smoking cauldron with a ladle in it, and ladled out a half a glass of hot toddy. He pushed it across the bar toward Harry and then leant forward, dropping his voice. Harry gingerly picked up the glass and sipped, steam pouring out of his ears. He shook his head so he could hear Aberforth.

"Heard a couple of wannabe toughs from Lunnon were in town. There's a table in back reserved for 'em. Seems some lads from Hogwarts laid a bet 'bout stealin' the orphans' sweets money an' carried through." He stood back up, his wand— _when had he drawn it?_ —tapping surreptitiously on the bar. Suddenly, the noises were louder and Harry realized the last of the Dumbledores had cast a silent Silencio, perhaps even another spell, while they talked. He stood up with a forced chuckle.

"Many thanks for little info, Aberforth," Harry growled out. He tossed a Galleon on the bar as he turned. "Don't want to be beholden to your sort, Abe, not regulation, you know."

^^^^^^^^

Harry left the Hog's Head behind swiftly and made it to The Three Broomsticks in good time. He nodded to the auror cadet on duty by the door as he entered.

He made a bee-line to the bar where Rosemerta was still serving, with the addition of a jauntily tied swath of bandage around her head. "Feeling up to answering one or two more questions, Rosemerta?" he asked.

Rosemerta laughed and then winced a bit. "What're a few more questions if they're asked by you, Harry?" She polished a pitcher and set it aside. "Want a butterbeer? I brewed up some with a dash of cinnamon for the season."

Harry shook his head. "Aberforth got me to drink a hot toddy. My ears are still burning. But, back to why I'm here. Any clues as to who stole the orphans' sweets money?"

Rosemerta nodded carefully, her polished cloth forgotten in one hand. "When Hermione brought the cash box to me, I heard a fella called Cuthbert saying he wanted to impress some girl. He sounded desperate, and in love." She looked over Harry's shoulder. "Oh, I forgot to tell young Ron. The boy wore a Slytherin scarf."

Harry looked down at the bar and shook his head. "Oh, no. I think I know who it was, and I'm so sorry, Rosemerta." He gestured toward her head.

"Oh, this?" She chuckled. "I coshed my own self, Harry. Got startled and tossed a pitcher of good Scottish ale into the air and got under it. All my sorry own fault."

"Rosemerta, you are a woman in a million," Harry said with a gentle laugh. "I'll be back soon, and not on official business. Then I'll try your Christmas butterbeer."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**December 15th**

 

Harry had informed Minerva of his suspicions and she was having the house-elves search the castle for the orphans' sweets money. The two of them had determined that since Rosmerta had given herself a headache and wasn't pressing charges, they'd keep the investigation low-key.

That meant he was free to make homemade ornaments with young Teddy, which would go a long way to reclaiming some of the magic of the Christmas season. So, with that thought in mind, Harry apparated from his front porch to Remus' front yard.

"Harry! Unca Harry!" a small whirlwind screeched as Harry was ambushed with hugs and excited yips.

"Whoa, Ted." Harry hefted his godson onto his hip as Moony bounced around the two of them, tail wagging. Another wolf, this one pale grey with a dark splotch on its left foreleg and a white tip on its tail circled around them, cautiously. "Hey, who's the new wolf, Teddy? I didn't know your dad was helping anyone else."

"Come in from the cold and we'll answer your questions, Potter," Severus Snape said from his position in the doorway. He stepped back as Moony led the small parade into the homey, sweet-smelling house. He closed the door behind the strange wolf, sharing a speaking look with it as it passed him.

"Unca Harry, Daddy Sev says we can make Chrissy snakes and Santa woofs. I'd like that." Teddy's hair was fluttering from red to green to gold and back again with his giddiness.

"I've never made Chrissy snakes or Santa woofs, but if Severus says they can be made, I'm game, Teddy ol' boy." Harry grinned as he swung Teddy off his hip and into the air. He did that a few times until the wolves began jumping up and down and Snape finally cleared his throat in a most menacing manner.

"You're incorrigible, Potter. It's time for a morning snack, so help Teddy put the plates on the table. I'll let the boys out to romp, and then we'll sit down to some tea and finger sandwiches."

^^^^^^^^

The tea was hot and sweet, and the finger sandwiches a variety of tomato, cucumber, ham, and smoked sausage cut into actual Teddy-two-finger-sized slivers. The midmorning brunch was followed by grapes and candied plums. Harry sat back in his chair and sighed. "That was great, Snape. Remind me to have you cater a brunch for me sometime."

Snape's right eyebrow rose to within half an inch of his hairline. "Then I'd better take arsenic off the menu," he said drily.

"Daddy Sev's funny, isn't he, Unca Harry?" Teddy said sleepily. He nodded a bit in his chair.

"Someone needs a bit of a nap before we start on ornaments," Harry said softly.

"Nyah, no nappy...just a doze...like Pa...pa..." Harry scooped up Teddy before he toppled out of his seat, asleep.

Snape smirked at Harry. "We have cushioning charms on everything, Potter. The lad's fallen asleep in midair quite often, but since you have him, let's put him in our room for the nonce. He'll wake up in half an hour or so and think it a treat." Harry followed Snape down the hall to a bright, airy room panelled in pale wood. There was a small crystal Christmas tree on a chest of drawers and an evergreen swag over the curtains of the large window. Snape turned down the covers and motioned for Harry to lay Teddy down.

Once Teddy was tucked up, they left him to his sleep. Snape closed the door until it was barely touching the frame and, with his finger to his lips, led the way back to the kitchen.

"Sit, Potter. I'll let the boys back in and we can _chat_." Snape left Harry standing by the kitchen table and stalked to the backdoor. "Moony, Ghost, come in," he called out. The two wolves ran up to him, allowed Snape to tsk over them and clean off the snow they'd rolled in, and then sedately walked into the kitchen to plop down near the hearth.

"I told you to sit, Potter, although from the look Moony's giving me I should have said please seat yourself." Snape sat down in the chair closest to Moony's wagging tail, nudging it with the toe of his boot. "Now that the children are inside and comfortable, ask your questions, Potter. I could feel them bouncing around your brainbox."

"Okay." Harry bit his lip and looked at the pale werewolf lying by the kitchen fire, pale grey eyes barely visible behind narrowed eyelids. "When did Draco become a werewolf? Was it during the war or after?"

Snape looked at Draco. "Ghost came to us six months after we moved into the house. He was bloody and torn. With Moony's help, I got a low dose of Wolfsbane potion into him—with a sleeping draught chaser—and discovered it was Draco. Once he transformed back to himself, he and Remus spoke together." He turned to look at Remus' werewolf form, a softer look than any Harry would have believed possible on his face. "Remus didn't tell me what they spoke of, but we fostered Draco that first year, with Narcissa's blessing. It took a bit to win Lucius 'round to our methods, but he decided a live son was better than a dead werewolf, so the boy lived and studied here until he could pass his N.E.W.T.s and find employment."

Ghost stood up, gave himself a good shake and ambled to Harry's side, sitting down near the chair, and then leaning against Harry's thigh. Without a thought, Harry's fingers were carding through Ghost's fur and the wolf was almost boneless against Harry.

"Remus taught Draco how to fend for himself, including culinary skills. They could be found in the kitchen whenever one or the other was experiencing a nightmare or a bad day. If I hadn't been retired from the world and chasing after Teddy, I would have gained three stone in those first months." Snape smirked as he observed Harry and Ghost. "It's obvious he likes you, Potter. Just wait until he cooks for you. He only cooks for people he cares deeply about."

"I had dinner with him and Millie a few days ago." Harry's fingers never stopped skritching around Ghost's ears, earning him the equivalent of a lupine purr and a heavy head now laid across his thigh. "It was the best food I've ever eaten."

"Hmm, he didn't tell me _that_ bit." Snape tapped a long index finger on his lips. "Ah, well, he'll soon be himself. The moon should be setting soon, and after their own naps, Remus and Draco will be helping us with Teddy's ornaments." He stood up. "More tea? I've got some of Bulstrode's peppermint pinwheels hidden away."

Harry looked shocked at the offer. "Ah, yeah, that'd be nice, but aren't you the one who stole that whole big box of Peppermint Toads from me?"

The back of Snape's neck reddened as he turned away to open a cupboard and remove a finely made wooden box. "That was...a...ah...an aberration, Potter. I hadn't had any seasonal peppermint before that incident." He opened the box, sniffed appreciatively, and then, with a sigh, turned to offer it to Harry. "They really are delicious. Millicent is an absolute genius with anything peppermint." He watched closely as Harry took two biscuits and put them on a napkin.

"Thanks, Snape. I appreciate the effort it took." He waited until Snape had his own biscuits and had sat back down. "I want you to know that I understand now, especially after having a few straight out of the oven."

Snape glared at him. "Out of the over? I've never had any warm from the oven," he hissed.

"After we make Teddy's ornaments, I'll take you by Millie's. She said she was baking some for her girlfriend, Lavender Brown, and they'd be coming out of the oven about six o'clock."

Snape looked at the clock. "It's only noon."

"Well, we'll have to fill the hours with making these two comfortable, entertaining Teddy with Chrissy snakes and Santa woofs, and I may even help you make some mulled wine."

Both of Snape's eyebrows rose up. "Potter, you have hidden depths. Now, eat a biscuit. The boys will be transforming soon."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**December 16th**

 

Harry woke up on Remus and Snape's couch and smiled as he remembered how much fun he'd had the day before.

The fruits of their combined efforts were strung up around the room: grinning Chrissy snakes in green and silver; Santa woofs in grey and gold; Christmas wreathes with berries that lit up; Christmas trees that swayed in their own breeze; and, little angels with fluffy white wings. There were even little baskets of holly and ivy on the living room mantle and near the front door, collected when Harry and Draco went for a pre-dinner walk with Teddy.

Harry got up, listening to the silence of the house. It seemed he was the only one awake right then, so he quietly got up, folding the sheets and blankets he'd used and setting them on the arm of the couch. He carefully grabbed his clothes and went into the small lavatory just off the kitchen to change. Once that was taken care of, he put on his socks and boots and transfigured his jumper into a winter coat. He stepped out into the backyard and closed the kitchen door softly behind him.

He breathed deeply, the cold air filled with the scent of wood smoke and evergreens. He wandered through the backyard, noticing how their footprints from the night before were still visible in the snow. Teddy's small ones paralleled Draco's and then Harry's, showing where they'd hoisted the boy up and then switched him from one side to the other. Just the memory of how Teddy enjoyed their outing and Draco's pleasant laughter at Harry's antics had warmed the pit of his belly made Harry grin.

The kitchen door opened behind Harry. "Harry, you do realize it's a snowy morning in the country, right?"

Harry turned and smiled at Remus' bemused look. "It's beautiful out here, Remus. I couldn't resist."

"Well, come inside for a bit. Draco's just getting up, and I'll have breakfast ready in a few minutes." Remus closed the door, but waited right behind it as Harry made new footprints in the snow on his way to the back porch. He waited while Harry stomped the snow from his boots and then opened the door, ushering Harry back into the house. "Just hang up the coat and take off the boots, Harry. You and I and Draco will have breakfast now and when Severus and Teddy wake up, we can keep them company with some tea."

"They don't wake up with you?" Harry asked.

Draco entered the kitchen. "Morning, Remus, Harry." Dracos pulled back a chair and flopped gracefully into it. "Teddy's a bit young to be up this early and Severus has never been one for dawn." He yawned. "Fact is, I'm not for mornings either, but Remus keeps trying to show me the joys of bright light." He set his elbow on the table, put his head in his hand, and closed his eyes. He opened them when Remus put a fragrant cup of coffee below him.

Harry chuckled. "I've always been an early bird. Helped a lot at Hogwarts when I wanted some time in the air for some solo quidditch practicing." Harry helped Remus put plates with fried ham, fried tomatoes, cheesy scrambled eggs, and buttered toast on the table. He and Remus took their places at the table and dug in.

Draco finished his coffee and nibbled on his toast. "How you two can have wolfish appetites so early in the day boggles the mind," he muttered.

"My appetite's just right for morning, especially since I've got to stop into work and check on the theft of the orphans' sweets money before I come back this evening."

Draco looked at Harry with narrowed eyes. "You never said anything about that yesterday, Harry." He pulled his breakfast plated closer and began shovelling food into his mouth.

"Harry," Remus said, "I think you'll be having some help today." He wiped his mouth daintily. "Just let Draco go with you and I'm certain you'll have it all cleared up in no time."

A bleary-eyed Snape shuffled into the kitchen, grunted toward Remus and sat down, hard, in his chair. He put both elbows on the table and muttered something into his palms, which must have the norm as Remus carefully put a very large, very dark mug of strong tea in front of him. Harry watched with amazed eyes as Snape barely moved his hands before the mug was levitating up between them.

"Happens every morning we're here, Harry. Don't stare too much, tho'. Severus' been known to hex and then wonder what's going on before that first cup of tea's drunk." Draco wiped his hands on his napkin and got up to put the dishes into the sink. "So, when are we heading out, Potter?"

Harry looked at Remus and then at the clock on the kitchen mantle. "Oh, half an hour, an hour, whenever you're ready. I'd like to visit with Teddy before we go, tho'." 

Remus set down a pot of tea near Harry. "Have some more tea. Teddy will be up by half past seven with Severus following at eight. If nothing else, those two slugabeds are regular as clockwork."

Harry poured himself another cuppa and smiled as he sipped. He listened to Remus and Draco talk about the Christmas dinners that will be taking place in the following weeks, what needed to be done for various honey-do lists they'd been given, and all the domestic workings of a family—it was the most normal of family breakfasts and Harry enjoyed every second of it.

^^^^^^^^

After a small snack while Teddy ate, Harry got on his outerwear while Draco dressed. They said their goodbyes, promising to be back so Harry could read Teddy a short story before bedtime.

Once outside the backdoor, Harry smiled at Draco and waved him down the path. "Just follow our footsteps in the snow to the tree-line and I can Side-along Apparate you to where we need to be."

"Why can't you do that from here?" Draco indicated the kitchen porch.

"Something to do with how the wards are set. One witch or wizard's okay, but two or more triggers what's probably a Snape-inspired hex that lands the apparators in different places, all of which are very, very unpleasant."

Draco chuckled. "That sounds like the voice of experience, Harry."

Harry stopped at the tree-line. "Well, yeah. Ron and I visited Remus, before I even tried to get them together. We were just fooling and tried to Side-along, and I ended up in a Highland pool that was iced-over, covered in feathers, of all things, and Ron ended up in Land's-End, buck naked, in the middle of a old lady tourist group. We did that three times, and each time it was either the back of beyond in Scotland, Land's-End or the Irish Sea." Harry held out his arm to Draco. "Who knew Snape was so nice? I mean, we never landed anywhere we could die right away."

Draco wrapped both hands around Harry's forearm. "You got the wrong wizard, Harry. The Side-along trap was Remus' brainchild. Severus had to talk him out of dropping people into a Icelandic volcano or right into the sea off of Azkaban." 

Harry stared at Draco, his mouth agape. "Seriously?! Damn, that man has a wicked sense of humour. Now, hold on, we're off to Hogsmeade."

^^^^^^^^

Draco hit the ground gracefully, but Harry stumbled a bit as he landed just outside of the Hog's Head once more.

"The Hog's Head? Who are we looking for, a wizard with a predilection for petting goats?" Draco asked under his breath. Harry elbowed him and then pushed him toward the door.

"No, you prat. Aberforth has some news on the boy who was behind the theft of the orphans' sweets money. He's a Sixth Year Slytherin with a fierce Hufflepuff girlfriend; he's Cuthbert Wood and she's Eugenia Paddington-Potts." Harry waved at Aberforth and indicated they were headed toward a table in the back. "Aberforth found out the boy's found someone to buy him nine yards of Demiguise wool, and they're going to meet here to make the trade."

"Demiguise wool? He wants to make an invisibility cloak? Like yours?" Draco whispered as he sat down.

"Shh! Someone'll hear you." Harry looked around, but the few patrons were conversing amongst themselves and ignoring Harry and Draco's whispered words. 

Aberforth appeared at their table, a serving salver in his hands with two steaming mugs. "Specialty of the season, mates, Christmas cheer hot toddies." He tapped the table twice and the other sounds of the bar became muted. "Built-in Muffliato, courtesy o' my brother, Merlin keep 'im, an' Sev'rus. Many's the time those two spent in this very booth." As he moved away, a slip of parchment fell onto the table and Harry's hand shot out and palmed it. Aberforth tapped the table again and the bar sounds returned to their low, but full, volume. "Right-ho, mates. Call if ye want more." From nowhere he produced a Galleon which he made a show of biting as he moved away.

Draco sipped the steamy concoction and flushed a bright shade of puce, the steam pouring out of his ears a distinct shade of green and red. Harry guffawed and then took an ill-advised drink of his own hot toddy. The steam from his ears was peppermint-striped. Draco wiped his eyes and laughed at Harry's surprised face.

Harry tapped the table before he spoke again, blinking away the peppermint steam that had got in his eyes. "Now that I've given you a good laugh, Draco, let's do some planning." He pushed a thin box across to Draco. "That's a quick-change kit from Weasley Wizarding Wheezes. Just touch a colour on the palate and you'll instantly look different. It's good for three hours at a stretch." Harry flipped the lid of the box open and touched a fingertip to the blue colour; his green eyes darkened, his hair became wavy and shorter, and his skin was darker. Draco followed suit, touching the green and his hair grew long enough to get in his eyes and flutter around his ears while he felt stubble growing on his cheeks and chin, and when he saw his hands, he noticed his pale skin had taken on a bronze hue and there was some scarring on the knuckles.

"That's...that's brilliant, Harry. My compliments to the Weasleys." Draco surreptitiously turned his hand on the table. "The attention to detail is astounding, and so natural."

"Quit admiring the change and pay attention, Draco. I don't want you to get hurt nor do I want to hurt Cuthbert, so we need to be on the same page here. You don't throw any hexes unless someone casts at you, all right? And no grandstanding. I like your mother these days, and I want her to keep on liking me, too, so don't put yourself in any danger, got that?"

Draco nodded. "As you say, Harry. I'm only a ministry secretary of restaurateur licensing."

Harry laughed into his hand. "Draco, I know a secret agent when I see one, and you're one, just with a better cover story than any fictitious one. Just don't be foolish on my account, okay? This is a schoolboy we're dealing with."

Draco turned his drink in his hands. "Remember, I was a schoolboy once, Harry...don't underestimate him. If needs be, the Malfoy family can come up with a sizeable donation for the orphans." He stared into Harry's eyes earnestly.

"Just—he's here!" Harry noticed Cuthbert slinking into the Hog's Head as he reached across the table to pat Draco's hand. "Just observe for now," he hissed and then tapped the table to allow the bar sounds to flow around them.

^^^^^^^^

Cuthbert Wood took a table midway inside the door. He was dressed in a dark blue set of robes, not a Hogwarts scarf in sight. He kept one hand inside his robes, which meant everyone in the place knew he had something he deemed important enough to safeguard.

The boy looked around and then caught the eye of a pair of scruffy witches. One was thin with grey hair in a fuzzy fringe just beneath her peaked hat. The other was built like Millie Bulstrode, but in a very unappealing way; she was a hag, and as such she had boils and warts on her cheeks, with a greenish tinge to her scaly skin. It was the hag who got up and approached Cuthbert, standing next to his table and speaking a low voice.

"She's asking if he has the money on him," Harry past barely moving lips.

Draco watched the witch, noticing she wasn't paying attention to her partner. Instead, she was fiddling with a brooch on her robes. Draco recognized the brooch as similar to one his mother had; hers held a small quantity of potion. "The witch has a special brooch, Harry. I think she'd going to gas the place and steal the money."

Harry nodded. "Yeah, the hag just told Cuthbert he'd a twit and said he should give up the money now or it'll be worse on him later." Harry's wand slid into his hand. "I'll take the hag, you take the witch. If I know Aberforth, he's got a surprise planned if we can't handle things." At Draco's nod, Harry slid slowly out of the booth and then turned toward Draco. "I meant what I said, Draco...so take care of yourself so we can make more footprints in the snow, yeah?" He turned back to the hag, all business.

Then Cuthbert got spooked and it got a whole lot noisier in the Hog's Head.

^^^^^^^^

Draco held up Harry as they Side-along apparated to the tree-line just past Remus' wards. "Wake up, you heavy git," he chided Harry.

"Says the man who hexed me with a Quiet Time Baby charm," Harry grumbled tiredly.

"Well, you didn't want anyone hurt, and it's never harmed Father when Mother casts it on him, so..."

Harry laughed tiredly. "Just get me inside and Snape can dose me with something so I can tell Teddy a story before I properly fall asleep."

"One foot in front of the other, Potter, remember, we're making more of those footprints in the snow, all right?" Draco and Harry slowly worked their way to the kitchen door of Remus and Severus' cottage.

The back door suddenly opened. Snape stood there with a scowl on his face which morphed into a rueful grimace. "What happened? All your Patronus said was you'd found that thief." He ushered the pair into the kitchen, closing the door behind them.

"We'll tell you, but I think Harry needs a bit of nap before he's fit for story-telling," Draco laughed as he let Harry slip into a kitchen chair.

Harry nodded as he bent forward to drop his head onto his crossed arms.

Draco sank down into his own chair. "Well, we were waiting for Cuthbert Wood—"

Severus interrupted, "That swot? Oh, how far Slytherin House has fallen."

Draco huffed. "If you're quite finished...as I was saying, we were waiting..."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**December 17th**

 

Harry woke up on Remus and Severus' couch once more. This time his head was in Draco's lap while the other man snored softly. He heard muted voices coming from the kitchen, which meant it was after eight o'clock.

He laid there, enjoying the movement of Draco's stomach under his head, listening to the quiet sounds of a very peaceful home. Then he heard the door to the kitchen pushed open...

"Unca Harry? You 'wake yet?" Teddy whispered.

"He's been awake, Ted, but he's been letting me wake up more slowly. Come here and keep him company for a few more minutes." Draco never opened his eyes, but he held out his hand and Teddy scooted toward the couch and climbed up to snuggle against Draco's other side.

"Hi, Unca Harry," Teddy said softly. 

"Hi ya, Teddy," Harry mumbled.

Draco grumbled. "Just ten more minutes, Ted. That's all I ask."

"Okay, Draco." Teddy closed his eyes as well, and exactly ten minutes, the living room was quiet but for soft breaths.

^^^^^^^^

After breakfast, everyone gathered in the library, which Harry hadn't known was hidden behind a concealed door in the living room, to listen to Harry and Draco's tale of the adventures of the night before.

"The adventures of the night before?" Harry asked _sotto voce_.

Draco swatted his arm. "Who's telling this story, Potter?"

Harry huffed out a laugh and sat back against the high back of the old-fashioned settee they were sitting on. "Yeah, yeah, go on."

Remus sat with Teddy on his lap, and Severus at his left, on the other side of the fireplace, on a matching settee. All three of them glared at Harry's interruption. He crossed his arms over his chest and smiled sheepishly.

"As I began before Sleeping Beauty here jumped in, he'd explained that a Sixth Year Slytherin—"

"Cuthbert Wood," Snape and Remus cut in together.

Draco did the glaring then and they had the grace to look apologetic.

"All right, everyone knows who he is..." And so the morning passed with Draco spinning out a comical tale that played up the hag's scaly skin and her bad spell-casting aim and the witch's poor throwing ability coupled with Abeforth's uncanny instinct for being in the right place at the right time...and Harry's _saving people thing_ as he protected the other patrons from Cuthbert's wild casting and Draco's _saving Harry's bacon thing_ , that he'd just recently discovered.

^^^^^^^^

After the story-telling and luncheon, the five of them got dressed for an outing, at Teddy's behest. "C'mon, Unca Harry, I wanna show you the nate-vy in the square. Papa made the manger—"

"Manger, Teddy." Remus buttoned up Teddy's outer robes and checked his boots. Satisfied, he stood up with an exaggerated groan. "Oh, these old knees just don't bend like they used to."

"Silly Papa, they do too!" Teddy crowed as he jumped into Remus' arms. "Jus' like mine". He proceeded to show him, almost kicking somewhere tender before Severus could reach out and grab his legs.

"No flailing, Teddy. You know those feet can be wicked," he said drily.

"My feets not wicked, jus' kicky."

Draco and Harry laughed at Teddy's offended face. "Well, since we're all dressed, let us go see this wondrous manger your papa built." He looked at Harry. "And Harry and I will treat everyone to tea and sandwiches afterward."

^^^^^^^^

"A live nativity? Oh, wow." Harry looked around the small village's square. It was open on one side with fields lying fallow and a copse of hawthorn trees. The other three sides had houses, cottages, and shops, all of them dressed in their Christmas finery of holly, ivy, and baubles.

"It's a really lovely village, Remus."

Remus set Teddy down and pointed him in the direction of lean-to where the nativity was staged. "Go save us a spot, eh, Teddy?" Teddy shot off like a magenta-haired rocket.

"Mixed Muggleborn and Magical folk, which means we don't have to worry so much about Teddy inadvertently morphing into a mini-Harry." Remus crooked his right elbow and Snape put a hand through it and they began meandering toward the nativity.

"Look closely at the Virgin, Potter, and if you laugh, I will hex you," Snape said in low tone.

Harry shared a questioning look with Draco and shrugged. "I'll be good." Then he looked more closely at the nativity. His eyes narrowed and his mouth opened as he realized just who was looking so lovingly down at the baby happily waving its arms in the air. He spun toward Snape. "That's McGonagall!" he whispered in shock.

"De-aged, but true. She' been the Holy Mother every few years, ever since her grandson told her she smiled like the Madonna," Remus said softly as he nodded to people in the crowd. He dragged Harry away and began speaking to him in a low voice.

Draco stopped and then stutter-stepped to catch up to Severus. He leaned close and asked, "McGonagall was married?"

Severus pulled Draco close. "To satisfy your curiosity, she married during the war with Grindelwald, a wizard who'd joined the British Air Corp., and who also happened to be a cousin six times removed. They had one child who lives in both worlds and who fathered three boys. That babe in the manger is her first great-great-grandson by her second grandson."

"How do you know?" Draco asked as they wove around children and adults in the crowd.

Severus glanced at Draco's rapt face. "Her third great-grandson is known as Remus Lupin."

"Lupin? He's—?" Draco spluttered as they stopped a few yards from the live nativity, the warm exhalations of the oxen and sheep making a comfortable place from which to observe the action.

"Yes, he's Minerva's great-grandson. His name was changed when he was bit, and his father and mother took on the ministry's label for yet another werewolf with him." Severus' voice was low and bitter. Then it softened, "She watched over him, made it more difficult for the ministry to track him, and helped with the ingredients for my refinement of the Wolfsbane Potion." He caught Minerva's youthful eye and nodded. "She stood as one of our witnesses when we bonded."

"You're...you're bonded?" Draco breathed out.

Severus sent him a stern look. He whispered, "Yes, now keep it to yourself. We haven't broadcast the fact yet." Severus looked down and smiled as Teddy's flame-bright head squirmed around a witch to come to his side.

"C'mon, Daddy Sev. I saved us a spot nears Gran. Papa and Unca Harry's waiting." The little boy's face had a bit of the look of Minerva's de-aged one, which seemed to please Severus.

"Yes, dear boy, let's go and see Gran."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**December 18th**

 

After the shock of finding out Remus was Minerva's great-grandson, at least one of them from the sounds of it, Harry decided he needed a quiet day and night. At eight o'clock that morning, he sent off Snowball with an owlpost for Draco thanking him for his help—and trying to make it obvious he wanted to spend more time with the blond culinary wizard-cum-spy—and then Floo-called Remus and Severus to wish Teddy a good morning which got him an invitation to the Hogwarts Professorial Christmas Party, which he graciously accepted. He then sent a Patronus to the auror's office requesting a personal day; Kingsley laughed and said since it was the first time Harry ever asked for a day off, and wasn't on any investigations after his good work on the theft of the orphans' sweets money, he had no problem approving two days, just in case.

So, Harry found himself baking some Hungarian sweets that had looked good: Kifle. They were cookies made with ground walnuts, butter, sugar, and flour, and decorated with powdered sugar. Harry had liked the picture in the cookbook, so he gathered everything together and went to work. By eleven o'clock, he had five baker's dozens of crescent-shaped cookies. He sifted powdered sugar on the half-cooled ones and once more on the completely cooled cookies. When he tried a cooled one, it crunched a bit. But, since the recipe said the cookies got softer over time, he had high hopes they'd be melt-in-your-mouth soft by the next day.

Then, he cleaned his house, from top to bottom, the Muggle way. He paused for a late lunch and received a note back from Draco via Snowball that he, Teddy, and Severus were going to watch an American Christmas movie called [The Miracle on 34th Street](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miracle_on_34th_Street) at six o'clock at that night, at Severus' house, and Harry was invited. Remus had to leave on business, so they needed another Gryffindor to make things even, sentiment that made Harry smile. He right away sent off a Patronus to Severus—it was getting easier to think of the man by his first name—and said he'd be there with Christmas bells on.

^^^^^^^^

On the dot of 6:00 p.m., Harry appeared at Snape's house, a box of something that smelled delicious. He knocked on the door and was greeted by a peppermint-striped Teddy, the thin red and white stripes running from his hair and across his face.

"Hello, Unca Harry. Come in."

_"Please."_

"Please come in," Teddy amended as he held the door open. He closed it after Harry and then hugged his godfather.

"Ah, Teddy, you're a walking peppermint stick. May I ask why? But before that, hold this, yeah?" Harry passed the little boy his box of sweets—properly cushion-charmed—and shucked off his Muggle winter coat and toed off his snow boots. He pulled a shrunken pair of slippers from his jean pocket and re-enlarged them. Teddy watched it all intently, even as his nose grew to better inhale the lovely smells emanating from the cookie box.

"Unca Harry, we have slips for your feet," Teddy finally said.

"Slippers, Teddy, and since I'm family, I bring my own. Now, hand that box back and show me where everyone is. I seem to remember someone saying something about a movie tonight..." his voice trailed away.

Teddy handed the box back to Harry and then hugged him, whirling away in a red and white swirl as he went running down the hall, shouting, "Daddy Sev! Daddy Sev! Unca Harry's here and he smells great!"

Severus laughed and scooped Teddy up into his arms. "Is it Harry you smell or the plate of biscuits he so kindly brought us, my scamp?" He kissed Teddy's nose, now looking like his, and let the boy slip to the floor to run shouting for Draco. 

"So, Harry...what do you want for a substantial snack? And, please, call me Severus."

Harry stared at Severus and then nodded. "Severus, sure, yeah, thanks. Ah, as to food, a sandwich will do." He finally put on his slippers and followed Severus down the hall and into the kitchen.

There they found Draco and Teddy putting together a yard-long sandwich, 1/3rd of French bread, 1/3rd of what looked and smelled like pumpernickel, and the middle 1/3rd a swirled combination of the two. Laid along the sliced length there were: salami and thinly-sliced ham slices; fragrant—vinegary—pickles and extremely thin slices of red and white onions; dabs of honeyed rustic mustard; and, leaves of arugula and fancifully-cut tomatoes.

"Oh, wow!" Harry exclaimed. "That's some _sandwich_ , you two. Looks fantastic!"

Draco looked up and grinned, lighting up his face. "Hallo, Harry! How do you like Teddy's idea of movie food? He saw it on the telly and told me, and here we are. _Voila!_ " He presented the sandwich with a flourish of his hands.

Teddy clapped his delightedly. "Yay! Looks really good, Draco, and yummy too, even wit' onions."

Severus watched from the doorway. "Shall we make some slices and take our sandwiches to the library? Draco's set up the telly and that dvd contraption, finally," he said with a look at Draco, "and the movie is all set up. Correct, Draco?"

"I followed Remus' instructions, and Mortimer stopped by to check my work. So, yes, Severus, _Miracle on 34th Street_ is currently queued up, in the vernacular." He made short work of slicing smaller sandwiches out of the yard-long one, Harry, Severus and Draco himself getting a portion of each bread type, while Teddy got two from the swirled combination portion. "There, now that everyone's served, we're off to the library and our movie. The drinks—pumpkin juice for Master Ted and Rosmerta's Christmas Cheer Butterbeers© for the rest of us—are already there." Draco led the way to the library, laughing at Teddy's ever-changing hair.

Once everyone was arranged—Teddy snuggled next to Severus so he could help him with his plate and drink and Harry and Draco sharing a suspiciously narrow loveseat, their plates and drinks bobbing at their elbows—Draco picked the remote control and passed it to Harry. "Here, Potter, in honour of you being the Wizarding World's own miracle, you start the movie."

"You don't remember which button to press, do you?" Harry asked slyly. Draco turned his face away, but the red tip of one ear gave him away. Harry chuckled. "All right then, dim the lights and we'll see just this miracle on 34th Street was..." Severus waved his wand over his shoulder and the lighting dimmed just enough to make the old black-and-white movie enjoyable. Soon, all of them were cheering on Kris Kringle and hoping little Virginia would get her wish. 

When the credits rolled, Teddy sported a beard just like ol' Kris Kringle and hopped off the sofa going, "Ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas!" and rubbing his belly which really did look a bit rounder than their dinner would warrant.

Harry levitated him just a few inches from the floor and swooped him around the furniture for a few minutes as Severus and Draco debated another movie. Finally, Severus reached out and plucked another dvd from a box and shoved it at Draco. "It was my mum's favourite, so I'd like to share it with Teddy."

"What movie is that, Severus?" Harry asked.

Draco held up the case and showed Harry the title: [Scrooge](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrooge_%281951_film%29).

"Oh, yeah, I like that one a lot; it's Charles Dickens 'A Christmas Carol' and so very English. . It was the only one the Dursleys would let me watch with them, at least until I started Hogwarts, but it's always made me smile. Old Scrooge is a really tough customer, and for a long time, Severus, you reminded me of him." Severus blushed and then fussed with a still levitating Teddy. "Yeah, you're just like Scrooge, all crusty on the outside and good heart inside. Yeah, we should definitely watch _Scrooge_ , Draco, if you haven't seen it, I think you'll really enjoy it." Harry settled back and transfigured one slipper into an ottoman and the other into a fluffy red-and-white blanket with Christmas trees on it. "Now, I'm ready. Anyone else for the movie?"

"Bathroom breaks, Potter, and then the viewing commences." Severus grabbed Teddy so that he trailed behind him. "Come along, young man, we want to make certain you can enjoy my fondest Christmas memory without fidgeting."

Harry chuckled and Draco set up the next movie and then joined Harry under the blanket, his own wandwork expanding the ottoman so they could share. "Potter, you do make movie time fun."

Harry patted Draco's thigh—on top of the blanket—as he responded. "You should see me when I'm at home, Draco, but that's a treat for another time."

Draco blushed and stared straight ahead while Harry snuggled down and chuckled.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> adventdrabble prompts 2015
> 
> _Chapter 2_  
>  Dec 13: Holiday Baking  
> Dec 14: Christmas Cocktail  
> Dec 15: Homemade Ornaments  
> Dec 16: Footprints in the Snow  
> Dec 17: Nativity Scene  
> Dec 18: Old Christmas Movies


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Due to the prodding of the muse, readers will note that the chapter count has increased. Thank you all for stopping by to read, which does encourage the muse so greatly. So...carry on!

**December 19th**

 

As soon as he woke up, Harry had a smile on his face. The memory of watching movies at Severus Snape's home—something that he'd never imagined in his youth—with Draco Malfoy of all people...well, Harry hadn't had so much fun in a very long time.

Teddy's honest enthusiasm had made the Christmas movies so much fun, and then they'd baked a plum pudding to welcome Remus home the next day. Draco's enjoyment of the Muggle entertainment and Sna-Severus' sharing of his fondest Christmas memory had been like gifts Harry hadn't even thought of asking for. On the whole, it was a smashing success that was only made better when Draco had agreed to be his date for the ministry Yuletide Ball, or as Ron had said, the glorified office party with bad music.

Harry's grin had been infectious and all day long he'd been receiving merry wishes for a Blessed Yule and a very Happy Christmas. At least, that was until he was face-to-face with Cuthbert Wood and Minerva McGonagall.

^^^^^^^^

Harry sat at his desk, his forehead wrinkled as he corrected a practice report for one of the auror trainees. He had a pile of them on his desk, and several red ink-smeared quills littering the floor by his feet. He'd never, ever thought he'd feel sympathy for Severus' marking of potions scrolls, but he did. Oh, boy, did he!

A solid rap on the door brought his head up and he called out, "Enter!"

When he saw the tip of Minerva's witch's hat, he stood up hurriedly. "Minerva, a pleasure to see you." He gave her a quick hug, and then noticed Cuthbert Wood standing behind her, still in the corridor.

"Please take a seat, headmistress." He looked between Minerva and Cuthbert. When the Slytherin hesitated, he reached out and pulled him into his office and closed the door behind him. "You take one too, Mr. Wood." He seated himself and clasped his hands on the marking-up he was doing. "What can I help you with?"

Minerva cleared her throat. "Mr. Wood has been sent down from Hogwarts for the next three months for theft, as you know. He asked me to intercede on his behalf with Magical Law Enforcement, and, after a hearing with the Wizengamot, I came to you." She sat stiffly in her chair, her back straight, and her chin very, very firm. In other words, she was uncomfortable and valiantly trying not to show it.

Cuthbert sat on the edge of his seat. "Mister Potter, ah, Auror Potter...I know I did an awful thing, especially since the funds were for orphans, but I just had to—"

Harry leaned forward, his voice stern as he addressed Cuthbert. "You stole money from orphans. You weren't on the street, you weren't hungry, and you weren't misguidedly trying to help someone. You have no mitigating circumstances to be considered, Mister Wood. Your only excuse, and a poor one it is, is that you wanted to impress a girl." He shook his head at Cuthbert.

Cuthbert's eyes fell below Harry's censure. "I know, I really do, but, I...I've never done anything like this before, sir. I never plan on doing again, if that means anything." Cuthbert's voice broke as he finished speaking, his shoulders rounded as he curled into himself.

Harry glanced over at Minerva and saw her very slight nod. So, he was to handle the punishment, was he? Well, first things first...

"Mister Wood, you are going to spend your time away from Hogwarts at the orphanage, every day but Saturday and Sunday. Those days are for family, and your sweetheart." Cuthbert looked up, hope brightening his face. "You'll also spend some time with me as I tutor our auror trainees. Let me make this very clear to you, Mister Wood, you will work very hard while you make reparations, and you will do it under my supervision."

"The order from the Wizengamot needs only to have my signature to begin that plan of attack, Auror Potter." Minerva pulled a scroll with the seal of the Wizengamot fluttering from it from her carpet bag and laid it out on the only clean corner of Harry's desk. "If you have a bottle of blue ink, I'll sign the order and you'll witness it so Mr. Wood's sentence might begin." She smiled when Harry passed a brilliant white swan feather quill and pushed a bottle of blue ink toward her; she recognised the gifts she had given him when he became an auror. Without further ado, she signed her name with a minimum of fuss and held up the quill for Harry who scrawled his name and dated it before rolling up the scroll.

"I'll walk this to the Wizengamot secretary myself. He'll record it today." Harry held out his hand to Cuthbert. "Now, Cuthbert, may I call you that? Cuthbert, you're going to be a very tired young man when I'm done with you."

Cuthbert stood up and shook hands with Harry, his breath seeming be easier to draw in. "I don't care about that. I should never have stolen the money for any reason, and I'm just lucky that Headmistress McGonagall and Professor Snape decided I'm worthy of a second chance."

Harry looked over at Minerva with a small smile, which she returned with one of her own tight-lipped ones. "Yeah, second chances are rare, and it's a lucky person who realizes it."

^^^^^^^^

With the scroll recorded, Harry took Minerva and Cuthbert to lunch, where plans were laid and Cuthbert's eyes grew rounder and rounder with all the things he was going to be doing the next three months. "And since you're missing your O.W.L. classes, we'll get you some tutors, we might even ask Hermione if she has some time to help you, and make arrangements for you to take them with the other Sixth Years." Cuthbert's jaw dropped at Harry's words.

"I...I...I don't know what to say," he finally got out.

"Mister Wood, a thank you will go far, but if I know Auror Potter, your good acts will go much farther," Minerva said after she primly tapped her lips free of scone crumbs.

"Yes ma'am. Thank you, Auror Potter, thank you so much!" Cuthbert said enthusiastically.

The back of Harry's neck reddened. "Well, yeah," he waved off the effusive thanks, "you'll work and learn, and I hope, never end up doing something so unbeneficial."

Cuthbert grinned. "That's awfully Slytherin thinking, Auror Potter."

"Call me Harry, Bert, we're going to be working together closely, and, if I learned anything, it's that every house of Hogwarts has things we can all use in our lives."

Minerva held up her tea cup. "Here, here, Harry!" She toasted Harry and waited as the teo clinked their cups with hers before taking a sip.

^^^^^^^^

The rest of Harry's work day was filled with more marking-up of auror trainee reports and a visit with Kingsley Shacklebolt.

It was four o'clock, and the afternoon tea trolley had been by so Harry had a large brown mug of workman's tea on his desk, the strong aroma almost a miasma of thiomene and caffeine around him. He was so intent on correcting a trainee's misunderstanding he didn't hear his office door opening.

"Well, I never thought I'd see the day Harry Potter is buried under paperwork."

Harry laughed as he sat up straight and rolled his shoulders. "It's all your fault, Kingsley, revamping auror training and making sure we all have an equal footing to begin with." Harry waved him to a seat. "Sit a spell. I need to sit up for a bit or I may never straighten up again."

Kingsley transfigured one of the chairs into a winged-backed one, plush and large enough for his frame. He sank into to it with a sigh and crossed his ankles. "I know what you mean. I've been dealing with new ministry regs and bureaucratic whatnot." He chuckled tiredly. "At least tonight's party wasn't planned by me, so I may enjoy myself for a few hours." He glanced at Harry with a small smile. "I've got my date, but what about you? Have you got a plus-one, Harry?" The look on his face was openly curious.

Harry leaned back in his chair and looked, really looked, at Kingsley. The body language was right, the crossed ankles because Kingsley's left knee hand been wrenched several weeks earlier on a case and the tiredness from all the changes that had to be in place before the end of the year...yet there was something in the curiosity. He shifted in his chair, cover for getting his wand into his hand, and ever so carefully, he wordlessly cast a revelation charm to see if the Kingsley outside was the Kingsley inside.

Kingsley shivered in his winged-back chair as the spell washed over him, but nothing else happened. He grinned at Harry. "Still cautious, Harry, that's a good trait for an auror," he said with a smile. "I hope you're imparting it to our newest recruits as you tutor them."

Harry grinned back sheepishly. "Had to check, Kings. It's been an up-and-down month so far and you know as well as I do, there are some unscrupulous news-types that will do anything for a story with Harry Potter as the main item."

"Well, then I'll wait, like everyone else, to see who the lucky plus-one is, all right?" Kingsley stood up and returned the winged-back chair to its former configuration. "And, again, thanks for all the help with this year's trainees. I know you always liked the field, but you _do_ have an understanding of what's needed to be safe out there, and I couldn't ignore it."

Harry stood up as well and stuck out his hand. Kingsley shook it once. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, Kingsley. Now, let me finish up these trainee reports so I can go and enjoy your Christmas party tonight." They both laughed and then Harry was once more alone in his office.

^^^^^^^^

Harry fidgeted and plucked at his formal robes, a small pin on his standing collar the only visible sign he was a member of the Auror Corp. He stood on the stoop of Snape's house, fifteen minutes early and worried that Draco would change his mind. He raised his hand to knock, but the door opened with a flourish before he could.

Remus stood there holding the door, a huge smile on his face. "Come on in, Harry. Severus and Teddy wanted to send you both off with some fanfare, and we wanted to take some pictures, so..." He waved Harry inside and closed the door behind him.

Teddy popped out of the kitchen door and raced toward Harry until Remus caught him up. "Not so fast there, Teddy. Show me your hands. I know you and Papa have been making dinner." Remus picked up Teddy's right hand and looked at it closely, sniffed it, and then licked it, which made Teddy laugh and squirm.

"Daddy!" he cried out. "Silly daddy, I wash-ted...wash-ed...my hands. Honest."

Remus licked his lips. "Hmm, still taste like roast beef and horseradish sauce, with a hint of dish soap, Ted." 

Harry chuckled at the affront on Teddy's small face, but then he caught sight of dark green robes coming out of the kitchen. He took a proper look and saw Draco in plush velvet robes, dark green, and lined with some grey material with what looked like it had woven ivy strands on it. The man's hair was lightly gelled, very much unlike how it had been when they were children, and looked touchable—which set the tips of Harry's fingers tingling at the idea. Even Draco's boots were dark green, and looked supple and comfortable. Harry unconsciously licked his lips.

Draco smirked slightly as he took in Harry's obvious admiration. Not that he'd be shamed by Harry's appearance that night: Harry's formal robes were almost austere in their lack of decoration with the outer robes a close-napped black velvet, but the inner robes looked like cream satin and to have a simple holly design in pale ivory thread stitched along the edge. The whole effect was effortlessly elegant, something Draco had never thought to equate with Harry Potter, and he was pleasantly surprised. Even the former speccy git's glasses were fashionable, the frames lighter and the lenses less rounded, all of which highlighted Harry's manly good looks. Draco's smirk became a pleased smile.

Severus cleared his throat and drew Harry and Draco's attention to him, and his camera. "Now that you've ogled each other, I need a picture for Narcissa." He motioned for the pair to follow him into the library. "Teddy said you had to be in front of the Christmas tree, and I concurred, so spit-spot. I've got curry on the hob for our dinner and I don't want it burn."

Harry laughed and followed after Draco, almost running into the other man since his eyes were on Draco's arse under the robes and not anything else. His ears burned as he stumbled a bit. "Ah, sorry, Draco. Um, picture, yeah...how do you want us?" Harry directed his words toward Severus, but he only had eyes for Draco.

Remus let Teddy down, the boy's hands clean after a quick trip to the lavatory. "Teddy, you know how you want the boys, go to it." Teddy tugged on Draco and Harry's robes until they were standing next to each other just to the side of the Christmas tree.

"You stand heres, Unca Harry, and you heres, Draco." Teddy pushed and pulled while the adults smiled and moved where he directed them. After a few minutes, Teddy was satisfied and went to Severus. "Okay, Papa Sev, they's ready for a pic-ture!" he said in a sing-song voice.

Severus ruffled Teddy's hair and then took the picture. "Why don't you go stand in the middle, Teddy? I'd like that picture for myself," Severus said. His lips twitched as Teddy rushed to stand in front of Harry and Draco, each of them dropping a hand on the boy's shoulders as his hair changed colours. Severus snapped off another photo. "There. Now you two can go and mingle."

"I get a kiss first!" Teddy shouted. Harry and Draco picked him ups and kissed his cheeks at the same time, creating another photo opportunity for Severus, who quickly took a picture.

Remus clapped his hands. "Okay, Teddy, it's time for Harry and Draco to go." He grabbed his son from them and blew a raspberry on Teddy's cheek. "Okay, Teddy?"

Teddy waved one hand in a dismissive gesture, and then laughed. "Have fun, Unca Harry. You coming to breakfast tommora morning?"

"Tomorrow, Teddy, and yes, when can we expect you, Harry?" Severus asked with a quirk of his right eyebrow.

"When do you want me? I'll be here with bells on."

"Half past nines o'clock will be fine as we'll be having rashers, eggs, fried tomatoes, and Teddy's favourite frothy orange juice." Teddy whooped when Severus finished the breakfast menu.

Remus threw a pinch of Floo Powder into the fireplace and the flames turned green. "All right, we've got tomorrow planned, now shoo, you two. You've a party to attend."

^^^^^^^^

Harry watched Draco schmoozing with Minerva, Kingsley, and his parents, marvelling at how at ease the blond wizard was in such a diverse group. He wished he was so calm, at least on the inside, but he'd been caught by Hermione and dragged away to meet the Russian Magical-Muggle Liaison, Gregorovich Something-ek he thought, and from there, he'd been snapped up by the latest Quiddditch star and her entourage and then tossed into the barracuda pit that was the press corp. He'd finally escaped when he caught sight of Ginny and Blaise, the poster-children for the enlightened next generation, and called out, "Oi, Zabini! Congratulations on eloping!"

Draco finally drifted away from Kingsley and his parents, escorting Minerva to her table and then wandering through the throng to Harry's side. He stood looking out over the crowd, nodding to fellow ministry employees before he muttered out the side of his mouth, "That was dastardly, Potter. Blaise may never forgive you for that lie." He sipped a drink he'd grabbed from the bar.

Harry chuckled. "Blaise sent me an owl earlier today. He and Ginny had to get married sooner rather than later, something to do with a bequest from a great-grand-uncle of his mother's. If the knot wasn't tied before Christmas, she wouldn't get a villa on Malfi and Blaise would be out a French manor in Bordeaux, I think."

"I'm his best friend, why wasn't I invited?" Draco asked, peevishly.

"Oh, calm yourself, I wasn't invited either." Harry turned so their conversation was a bit more private. "Molly and Mrs. Zabini were the witnesses. It's only the civil part of the marriage anyway, so they'll still have the C of E marriage in May, as they planned. We'll be there, you the best man, me the bride's best ex-boyfriend." He elbowed Draco. "It'll be fun, and since they're already married, they won't be so stressed and can enjoy the festivities."

Draco shook his head and stepped closer to Harry. "You always look on the bright side, don't you?"

"Well...yeah. Molly's happy and isn't worried about her daughter anymore and Mrs. Zabini can marry her latest beau without ruining things for Blaise and Ginny. And, as friends of the twosome, we don't have to stress as much. And, on top of all that, the Weasley boys can now use Blaise as one of the family." Harry laughed.

Draco put down his empty glass and grabbed Harry's free hand. "Enough talk, Harry. Let's dance." He didn't wait for Harry to get rid of his glass, but just shook his wand free and banished it before pulling Harry onto the dance floor. 

"Ah, you know I'm an awful dancer, right, Draco?" Harry murmured against Draco's cheek as he was spun around. 

"You are light on your feet when chasing bad men. Just think of dancing with me as the ultimate chase." Draco whispered huskily.

"You're not a bad man, Draco." Harry pulled Draco closer. "But you're not the ultimate chase, Draco...you're the ultimate prize." He pressed a soft kiss on Draco's cheek as he was expertly guided around the other couples.

^^^^^^^^

For the next few hours, Harry and Draco were inseparable. They danced the rumba, a tango that had Harry gasping for air due to exertion and lust, and even a technically flawless waltz when Draco spelled Harry's feet to mirror his. First Draco led and then Harry, depending on the dance, but they never once let go of each other.

Later, they shared a table with Minerva, Luna and Neville Longbottom, and even welcomed Mrs. Parkinson when her husband had to leave early. Their table was one of the liveliest ones and they had people stopping by to converse for an hour after dinner. When a loudmouthed wizard blundered into Mrs. Parkinson's chair and not only didn't apologize but began berating her, Harry jumped up and duck-walked him with one arm behind the man's back right out of the party. When he returned, Mrs. Parkinson was teary-eyed and Draco was beaming in pride. "That's my date!" he crowed as Harry worked his way back through the tables, much to Harry's bemusement.

Harry sat down next to Draco, shushing him. "Hush, Malfoy. I only did the right thing."

"No, Harry, you stood up for Mrs. Parkinson, and that's something, because she's so prickly." Draco ignored Mrs. Parkinson's squawk of outrage and Minerva's soothing noises.

"He's quite correct, Harry," Luna interjected. "Nothing against you, Mrs. Parkinson, but this is the first time I've ever had the chance to just talk to you. You're a very off-putting personage, you know. But our Harry only saw you as a person in trouble and he took care of it."

"Well, I have to say I've never been so..." Mrs. Parkinson looked around the table, "so humbled. I have a lot to thank you for, young man," she addressed Harry. "You befriended my daughter, you interceded on her behalf when she needed it, and then, when you let me sit with you and your friends." She held up her hand when Harry opened his mouth. "No, let me finish. You are a credit to your mentors," she nodded to Minerva, "and your friends. I am very glad to have made your acquaintance and I hope to know you better, young man." She stood up and rounded the table to give Harry an awkward hug. "Thank you, Harry Potter, for being kind to a stubborn old lady."

Minerva cleared her throat pointedly. "Iphigenia, sit back down so we can have a cup of tea and a good coze." She patted Mrs. Parkinson's arm as she went back to her seat.

"I second her suggestion, Mrs. Parkinson," Harry said with a smile. "And, thank you for the kind words. Now, who wants some dessert?"

^^^^^^^^

Harry leaned against the railing leading up to Severus' front door. He and Draco had left the ministry party at midnight and slowly made their way across England until they found themselves just at the foot of the stairs.

"Quite a to-do tonight, Harry," Draco said with a grin.

Harry smiled and reached out to Draco, resting his hands on Draco's upper arms. "It would have been flat without you, Draco." They stood like that, just looking at each other for several heartbeats, before Harry's fingers curled around Draco's arms and gently pulled Draco close enough to kiss.

Before bending forward, Harry breathily asked, "Is this all right?"

Draco wrapped his arms around Harry's waist. "Very right." He leant his head down as Harry's face turned up. Their lips met softly, almost chaste. Then Draco pressed closer and the kiss deepened.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**December 20th**

 

The next day, Harry woke up with a smile on his face. Unfortunately, events worked against him keeping it there.

_"Harry Potter! Auror Harry Potter! Report to Auror Headquarters on the double!"_

Harry's mug almost fell from his hand as the Patronus burst through the wall, already shouting its message. It ran round the kitchen twice and then disappeared in a puff of purple smoke. He'd recognized the purple glob as belonging to Ethelbert Dunwitty, an auror clerical officer, and a general alarmist, but still he hurriedly dressed and then went through the Floo to the ministry.

^^^^^^^^

Harry stepped out into the bustle of a busy ministry day.

"Potter, have you heard?"

Harry turned to see Blaise Zabini hurrying toward him. "Heard what?"

"Draco's missing. Snape sent Kingsley a Patronus at eight this morning, saying his room had been ransacked." Blaise wove around other workers, Harry hot on his heels. "I don't understand why he didn't get in touch with you, tho'."

"Neither do I." Harry caught the door Blaise had just pulled open and followed him into the meeting room.

"Would everyone be seated? The briefing will begin now." A junior clerk gave way to Kingsley Shacklebolt.

"Aurors, Unspeakables, one of our own is missing under suspicious circumstances. A forensic team is still on-site and sending back information as I speak. What we do know is that Draco Malfoy returned home after the ministry Christmas party at 1:30 a.m. this morning. Severus Snape witnessed Mr. Malfoy's entrance and spoke to him; this has all been verified under Veritaserum and Truth-Revealing Spells on the door. Unfortunately, Mr. Snape left Mr. Malfoy alone after that, returning to his bonded's home to sleep. So, between approximately 1:45 a.m. and 2:00 a.m., Draco Malfoy was snatched away by person or person unknown."

An Unspeakable raised her hand, her face and voice obscured by a spell. "Minster Shacklebolt, our department has no volatile investigations going on at this time. Inquiries amongst our satellite departments have also yielded nothing."

"Thank you, Unspeakable, just keep us informed if anything comes up." Kingsley looked over toward Harry.

"Does anyone have anything more to add?"

Millicent Bulstrode stood up, her Magical Law Enforcement robes unwrinkled as if right out of the closet. "Minister, just before this meeting, an owl note was delivered to the MLE office. It reads as follows:

> To Who It May Concern:  
>  I took Draco Malfoy. He's a right twat and a Death Eater, and he talked down to wizards better than him.  
>  If you want him back, leave 250,000 Galleons at the goat pen of the Hog's Head in Hogsmeade at midnight tonight.

"Our forensic colleagues traced the note to Cornwall, but we have nothing else." She sat back down, a ferocious frown on her face.

Harry stood and waited to be recognized. "Has anyone looked into a wizard named Groper? I witnessed a culinary permit class he took with Mr. Malfoy, and he was disrespectful and rude. This might just be a case of someone taking things too far." He looked around the room. "Bulstrode, could you find out where Groper is right now? Right now, he could be our best bet."

Millicent stood up and nodded. "Yes. Yes, I think I see where Potter's going with that thought. Minister Shacklebolt, your pardon, but I'm going to find Mr. Merlin Groper right now!" She left the meeting room with a modicum of fuss, and then Kingsley dismissed the others.

^^^^^^^^

Harry rushed after Millie and caught her at the door of her office. "Let me help, Millie. Please?"

She nodded curtly. "No skin off my nose, Potter. Just don't get in my way."

"Don't worry, Bulstrode. I've been told I'm light on my feet when I'm chasing bad guys."

^^^^^^^^

By noon, the two of them were growling at each other. Blaise found them spitting at each other. "Will you two stop trying to eviscerate each other? You're supposed to be finding that chap Groper." He put a paper bag on the desk and began pulling out paper-wrapped bundles. "Here, I brought some sammies from Mother Molly and some information from Mrs. Parkinson."

Harry and Millie stared at him, neither one reaching for the food. "Okay, okay, information first." He sat down with a sigh. "Mrs. Parkinson was visiting Molly, doing the nice thing when I came in and said something about Draco missing and a fellow named Groper a person of interest. Well, Mrs. P. asked if that was Merlin Groper, I said yes, and she told me he's from Nottinghamshire, by the famous forest, to the north, and 'a right rotter', to quote her. Now, before you run off, eat. I sent the minister the information before I came here."

Millie kicked him in the shin when she stood up. "You are a prize buffoon some days, Zabini. Are you coming, Potter?"

"Right behind you, Bulstrode." He leaned down to hiss into Blaise's face. "I'll deal with you later, Zabini."

^^^^^^^^

Harry and Millie took the Floo to the Nottinghamshire MLE office. They found the local MLE constable, a fellow by the name of Brick and just as thick as one, with his feet up on the desk and his handkerchief over his face as he napped.

Millie endeared herself to Harry when she slapped the man's feet off the desk and was in his face demanding why he wasn't out finding Groper as per the ministry request that had gone out before she'd left the building.

"What in the seven hells of Hades are you doing lounging around?" she growled into Brick's startled face. "You were notified that a ministry employee had been kidnapped by someone in your shire, you dunderhead."

Brick's mouth worked, but no words came out. He looked from the Fury that was Millicent Bulstrode to the familiar face of the Hero of the Wizarding World, Harry Potter. "Ah..." was all he got out before Harry leaned around Millie.

"Constable Brick, you'd best know exactly where Merlin Groper not only resides, but currently is, or it'll go hard with you," Harry said in his most officious voice.

It was gratifying how quickly Brick was on his feet and pointing at a map on the other wall. There was a note pinned to it, with a notation: _Groper, Merlin. 21 Muddy Lane. Floo address: 21 Muddy, Notts._

Harry and Millie turned to leave and then Harry turned back to the constable. "I'd recommend you get your gear and follow us, Brick. And rest assured, you'll be getting a visit from the MLE about your lack of professionalism."

As the door the closed, Brick finally got a few words: "Oh, Aunt Fanny's sainted garters..."

^^^^^^^^

Harry and Millie sent off Patronuses for back-up, and to let Severus and Remus know they almost had Draco in their hands. Harry got a return Patronus from Snape, a massive wolf that looked remarkably like Moony, "Potter, I'm trusting you to save him once more."

"I will, Severus, " Harry muttered under his breath.

" _We_ will," Millie grunted as she bent over and cautiously approached 21 Muddy Lane.

"If you two would stop chattering, you can get on with rescuing me."

Harry popped up from his own crouched position. "Draco?!"

"In the flesh, Harry." Draco was leaning in the open doorway. "Come on in. Meet Merlin Groper's mother. She bashed him over the head with a skillet half an hour ago, and then untied me." He turned and led the way into the small house, pointed toward the living room. "Mrs. Groper, meet my friends, Millie and Harry." He gestured toward a petite, grey-haired witch rocking in a chair and knitting. "Millie, Harry, meet Mrs. Groper."

"Please to meet you young people. You'll find that berk I call a son in the hall closet. Young Draco tied him up with the curtain sash." She kept right on knitting and rocking. "If you'll take Merlin with you, I can get back to my knitting and not worry about feeding the idiot boy." The clicking of her needles grew strident as she spoke.

Millie and Harry shared a bemused look and then glanced over at Draco leaning negligently on the wall near the hall. He merely pointed around the corner. Harry shrugged and went back into the hallway and opened the first door he found. Inside was Merlin Groper, blinking his eyes and wincing. Harry pulled him up and out, still wrapped in the faded red curtain sash. "Merlin Groper, you are under arrest for the kidnapping of Draco Malfoy."

Groper blinked rapidly and Harry realized he was also gagged.

"Oh, sorry about that. Mrs. Groper did that before I got him tied up. Seems he's her stepson and they get on like dragons and wizards." Draco stood behind Harry, his hands in his trouser pockets, looking elegantly dishevelled and not like any kidnapping victim Harry had ever seen. Draco smiled softly at Harry. "He didn't hurt me much, Harry, just knocked me out with a spell and bundled me into a trunk. He just didn't realize it was a Muggle magician's trunk, with a false bottom." 

Harry looked back at Groper. "Were you just born unlucky, Groper?" he asked rhetorically.

Millie said from behind him, "Whatever star he was born under is irrelevant, Potter, he's going to be spending an awfully long time in Azkaban pondering his stupidity."

Draco chuckled. "It's remarkable how you can sound so much like Severus when he's disgruntled, Millie."

She swatted him, making Draco sway on his feet. "Malfoy, you're an idiot, but your _our_ idiot, so shut it and let the professionals do their jobs." Millie looked at Harry. "Ready to hand over the prisioner, Potter?" She indicated the two silent MLE agents standing behind her.

"Yeah, they can have him. I'll stop by your office for a statement as soon as I get Draco back to Severus." Harry stepped aside and watched the MLE agents each grab an arm and drag the still tied-up Groper to the Floo. He also saw Mrs. Groper flip her stepson the two-finger salute.

"Good riddance to bad rubbish, Merl," she said as one agent pushed him through the green flames.

Draco looked at Harry and Millie, and then over at Mrs. Groper. "Would you two mind if I invited Mrs. Groper to dine with me? She and Severus would get on like a house on fire, don't you think?"

Mrs. Groper stopped knitting and snorted. "Severus Snape? That young man always had a good head on his shoulders. How do you know him?"

Draco smiled at Mrs. Groper. "He was my Head of House, ma'am."

She smirked. "A fellow Slytherin, eh? That means you're Lucius' boy, yeah? I thought you had the look of him. Well, in that case, lead on, boy. I haven't had such a good time since I was in school, and I wouldn't mind having a confab with young Severus. Let me get my shawl and hat and we can go." Mrs. Groper looked at Harry. "If that's all right with your friends, of course."

"Fine by me, ma'am." Harry looked at Millie. "Do you want to come along and get her statement over a late luncheon, Bulstrode?"

Millie threw her hands in the air. "This is what comes of mixing with Gryffindors," she muttered under her breath. "Fine, it's all fine by me, let's have lunch and statements." She crossed her arms and huffed out a deep sigh.

Draco slung an arm around her shoulder. "Millie, ma dear, they do make things exciting. It's best to give in." He grinned. "Right, Harry?"

Harry threw a pinch of Floo Powder into the fireplace. "Mrs. Groper, we're going to the Ministry first so I can stop our back-up before they go haring off, I'll send off a Patronus for Severus and then we'll be off to his house, if you don't mind. You know how Slytherins dislike surprises."

The old witch laughed delightedly. "Oh, you are a smart one. I'm going to like lunching with you."

^^^^^^^^

Later that night, Harry stopped by Severus' house, rapping sharply on the door. Draco opened the door and stood back for Harry to enter. Once he was inside, the door closed behind them, Harry whirled around and hugged Draco.

"I've wanted to do that ever since we found you, you git," Harry mumbled against Draco's shoulder.

Draco wrapped his arms around Harry and just held him for a few minutes. Then he leaned back to look into Harry's eyes. "Why didn't you do that this afternoon?"

"Not professional," Harry said softly. Draco's arms tightened around Harry.

"Well, that explains that." He kissed Harry then, sweetly, lingering as he seemed to sip the air from between Harry's lips. They spent several minutes just pressing their lips together until Harry pulled back a bit and dragged in a deep breath.

"You're addictive, you know that?" Harry hugged Draco hard and then stepped back, his hands sliding down to rest on Draco's hips. "Severus home?" he asked.

"No, he's at the manor with Remus and Teddy and Aunt Andromeda. It seems Mrs. Groper is some kind of cousin to the Blacks so Mother decided on an impromptu reunion of sorts." Draco cupped Harry's cheek. "That means we're all alone."

"I can work with that. C'mon." Harry turned, his arm sliding behind Draco's back so they moved down the hall side-by-side.

^^^^^^^^

"Mm, that was delicious, Harry."

"Thanks. It's awfully difficult to ruin roast beef in red wine." Harry stood up and cleared the dishes from the kitchen table by hand. "Let's just wash up and then we're going outside."

"Outside? Why? There's a lovely living room just dying for us to use it."

"Nope, not tonight. Tonight I'm going stargazing with you. Then you're going to kiss me under the starlight and we're going to talk and all those soppy things so I can get the thought of you kidnapped out of my mind." Harry looked at Draco, a long, deeply penetrating look. "I need this tonight."

Draco stood up, hands held out from his sides. "Anything, Harry, anything you need."

^^^^^^^^

Behind Severus Snape's house, sitting on yet another conjured bench with an overlay of Warming Charms, Harry and Draco looked up at the stars. Harry had cast a special spell he'd gotten from Professor Sinistra and the winter constellations stood out against the sable-blue of the night sky.

"You know, you don't need the warming charms yet. It's a warm night for winter." Even as Draco spoke he snuggled into Harry's side.

"Even if it were summer, we'd need warming charms," Harry murmured. He pointed up at the sky. "Remember your Astronomy, Draco?"

"Yeah, a bit." He sneaked an arm around Harry and slid his fingers into Harry's pocket. "Why?"

"Oh, well, I was just wondering what that W in the sky was?" Draco turned his head to sight along Harry's pointing finger. He flinched a bit when Harry's cool lips and sharp teeth closed around his earlobe. When Harry pulled away, he whispered into Draco's now sensitised ear, "Cassiopeia, right?"

Draco shivered, so turned on. But, he reined himself in. "Yeah...yes...Cassio-peia," he stuttered.

And for the next two hours, with a bit of direction from Harry, they traded breaths and astronomy knowledge between kisses and conversation.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**December 21st**

 

It had been so hard to leave Draco, both of them sporting wood and panting for each other. But, they were both strong-willed and Draco had been the first to step back as Big Ben tolled one o'clock in the morning.

"Go home, Harry, or I'll do something very, very...adult...to you," Draco said huskily.

The phrasing made Harry laugh, dispelling some of his lust and clearing his mind a bit. He stepped back as well until his fingertips left the curve of Draco's ribs. "You're right, you are so right." Harry huffed out a breath that made a foggy cloud in front of his face. "And the warming charms are wearing off. I guess that means I'll have to take you inside and head home."

"If I were a weaker man, you'd be doing something else besides leaving me alone, but I know you don't want to rush into anything, so let's go and have a cup of coffee before I send us both off to our respective beds."

^^^^^^^^

Harry's good mood carried over from the night before. He'd never been so in lust and love with someone as he was with Draco. He hadn't wanted to push Draco into anything, so he'd tried—desperately—to keep things simmering but not boiling over. He wanted to gauge Draco's feelings for him while making his own known and it had worked, by the skin of his teeth it had worked.

Harry could still feel Draco's lips on his, even as he sipped his morning cup of tea. Even brushing against the evergreen wreath on his door on the way out reminded him of the faint bristle of the man's beard when he'd kissed him. Harry laughed out loud and shut the door behind him.

^^^^^^^^

When Harry stepped into the ministry the scent of pine was the first thing that greeted him. There were evergreen swags hung across the halls and potted trees—long-needled pines, short-needled spruces, and even a larch or two—along the walls of the main nexus. There were house-elves decorating the trees with fairies and miniature magical lanterns that lit up with a wave of a hand.

One of the house-elves saw Harry and jogged over to him. Harry looked at the house-elf's face and then smiled. "Hello, Mortimer. Happy Christmas to you."

Mortimer's smile grew bigger. "Harry Potter sir is very observant." He looked over his shoulder and then back at Harry. "Um, we wonder if Harry Potter would like to have nuncheon with us? At Hoggie-Hogwarts, of course." His big eyes were pleading.

Harry mentally reviewed his schedule and nodded yes. "I'd be honoured. Exactly when should I show up? I haven't visited the kitchens for a long time, so I hope that's where we'll be eating."

Mortimer's head nearly rocked off his neck with the ferocity of his nodding. "Oh, yeses. My sister is head pastry chef now, but she remembers Harry Potter and his friends fondly." He took a step back and then remembered what else he had to tell Harry. "We's have nuncheon at one o'clock, Harry Potter sir. We will be most pleased to have you with us." He waved at Harry and rushed back to his waiting friends.

Their lively chatter grew to excited squeaks behind Harry's back and he smiled.

^^^^^^^^

Fifteen minutes before he was to meet Mortimer and his friends in the Hogwarts' kitchens, he paid a quick visit to Severus' office. The door was open so Harry simply knocked on the frame.

Severus looked up from the scroll he was marking. "Ah, Potter, make yourself comfortable."

"No, thanks. I just wanted to stop by and ask if you and Remus have an idea of a gift for Teddy. He's getting bigger now, and I thought he'd like a book, maybe [20,000 Leagues Under the Sea](http://www.online-literature.com/verne/leaguesunder/) or [Treasure Island](http://www.literatureproject.com/treasure-island/). They make books for little kids that aren't as scary as the full stories."

Severus tapped his lip with his index finger. "Thank you for asking. You are correct. Teddy's young, but he has a vivid imagination and we don't want to frighten him unnecessarily. I'll send you an owl after I've spoken with Remus." He looked down at the scroll practically bleeding red ink. "We'll expect you for dinner on Christmas Eve, you know. Remus has already started the Christmas Pudding, with Teddy's help, of course." He smiled his small smile at the memory.

"With bells on, truly, this time," Harry said with a laugh. He looked at the clock on the mantle behind Severus. "Whoops! I've got to run. Nuncheon with the house-elves. G'bye, Severus!"

^^^^^^^^

Harry had a wonderful time in the Hogwarts kitchens. The house-elves bustled around, but Harry made certain Mortimer and his friends sat and ate with him. He dined on roast beef sliced so thin that it floated to the plate and had a creamed horseradish sauce to dip it in. There was a mixed green salad with his favourite dressing of Italian herbs and olive oil and vinegar. There were mushy peas and pickled onions and mashed potatoes for sides, which made Harry's mouth water. Harry ate and laughed, sharing anecdotes with the house-elves until a house-elf in a pink chef's hat came and stood by his elbow.

"Harry Potter sir, is time for sweets and then yous go. We have Christmas buffet to make for dance tonight."

Harry smiled. "You must be Mortimer's sister. I'm pleased to meet you..."

"Flower. My's name is Flower." She curtsied.

Harry stood up and bowed. "Well, I'm hoping to sample a dessert or two before I go, Chef Flower."

"Oh!" She snapped her fingers and a clear spot on the table was suddenly filled with a four-tiered plate arrangement, all of the tiers loaded with cookies, fairy cakes, meringues, candies, and other sweets. "Theses are for you, Harry Potter sir."

Harry sat down with a thump. "Oh, boy..." he breathed out. "That's my fondest childhood wish, Chef Flower, but it's too much."

"No, no, you eat a bit and take rest. We's house-elves, we have treats when we wants them. But, you special, so you take."

Mortimer nodded. "Our Christymas pressy-present to you, Harry Potter sir."

"Well, then, thank you. I'll share your gift with my other friends, if you don't mind." He smiled as Chef Flower nodded enthusiastically. "Well, then." Harry snatched up a chocolate-swirled fairy cake and bit into it. "Oh, wow! You're an artiste, Chef Flower, thank you for sharing these sweets with me." He chewed slowly, savouring the richness of the flavourings and the fine texture of the cake. When he finally swallowed, Harry was grinning. "This is a wonderful Christmas present and I thank you all."

Mortimer snapped his fingers and a large box, shaped like an evergreen decorated with old-fashioned candles appeared. He opened it and started shifting the desserts from the tiered plate to the shelves inside the box. Once all the treats—but the one Harry grabbed—were tucked away and the evergreen box was secured. "There. Harry Potter may nows take sweets with him in safety."

"Thank you all," Harry said as he met each house-elf's eyes. "This was a lovely way to spend a nuncheon, and I hope we can do this again sometime." He stood up and carefully hugged Chef Flower. "And thank you, Chef, for such delicacies."

She shooed him away with reddened ears, a wide, pleased smile on her face. "You's welcome, Harry Potter sir."

Harry left with a last happy wave, with the house-elves calling out their goodbyes behind him.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**December 22nd**

 

Harry received Severus' owl while he was having a training session with a few of the auror trainees. He excused himself while they practiced their Muggle hand-to-hand combat moves on each other while he unrolled the scroll the owl had dropped on his head.

> Harry,
> 
> Remus and I have verified Teddy is going through a pirate phase. We agreed that [a child's version of Treasure Island](http://www.usborne.com/catalogue/book/1~yr~rpcd~1284/treasure-island.aspx) would be appropriate as a gift. If you could find a pirate's skull-and-crossbones or a tricorn, that would also be appropriate. Just remember that Christmas Eve dinner is at seven o'clock, and we'll be looking for you at least an hour before then.
> 
> ~ Severus

Harry grinned. He could sew, and a skull-and-crossbones flag would be easy to stitch in a night. And, if he asked, Draco could probably find a small, befeathered tricorn hat in the Malfoy attics to add to his gift.

^^^^^^^^

Working through lunch, Harry kept the idea of a hand-sewn pirate flag in mind, thinking on where he might have a large enough piece of black material for the flag and what really white piece of clothing he could sacrifice to such a noble endeavour. He threw trainees over his shoulder or put them into a headlock without missing a step or a stitch until it was half past one.

Barely breathing hard, Harry surveyed his auror trainee group with a critical eye. "You all need to work on your throws, people. Now, we're not meeting tomorrow, since it's Winter Solstice, but we will meet on Christmas Eve." There were groans from the trainees. "Crime doesn't pay attention to your best laid plans, people. We don't always get a chance to enjoy the holidays, so we make the best of the time we do get to spend with friends and family. So, while you have a day off from me, you have other work to do, and I'll expect you all to be ready to show me how your forms have improved before our day off on Christmas."

A timid hand rose up. "Ah, Auror Potter, what if we don't celebrate the Winter Solstice or Christmas?" Several aurors turned to glare at the trainee asking the question.

"No problem, Trainee Beckwith. Just use the time wisely, that's all I ask. Spend a few hours with those that do celebrate or study, whatever you choose to do. Any other questions?" The trainees shook their heads. "All right then, off you go. See you in a day."

^^^^^^^^

Before grabbing a towel and heading off for a shower, Harry reached into his locker and pulled out a handful of tinsel. He looked around, waiting for Ron or even Draco to jump out and yell, "Gotcha!" But, no one jumped out or anything. He didn't see his spare robes or even his scarf.

Harry set the tinsel on the bench behind him and reached in again. He brought out another handful, but there was also a Christmas cracker mixed into it. "What in the world?!" Harry muttered.

"Got you too, eh?" Ron was wrapped in two towels, one around his hips and the other around his shoulders, shivering. "I found tinsel and tin soldiers in my locker, and no bloody clothes."

Another voice called out, "Ye've got the right of it, Ron." Harry grinned at Seamus Finnegan's familiar face. "I got splashed in the lab aroun' the corner and stepped in here ta change, but when I went for ma spare robes, I got this." He held up a handful of tinsel. "We've been pranked, and something good, blokes." He shrugged off his ruined robe, luckily wearing Muggle clothing underneath.

"Speak for yourself, Irish." Millie peeked out from behind a row of lockers. "I'm covered in tinsel, and it's getting in places it doesn't belong." Harry quickly grabbed an oversized towel from an open shelf and tossed it over the lockers. Millie disappeared and then reappeared, now wrapped up in the towel. "I've got a date this evening and this is cutting into my ready time," she growled.

Ron's cheeks pinkened as he looked everywhere but at Millie. "Any ideas, Harry? Millie's not the only one with plans, you know." He shivered again. "I'm freezing here."

Harry still had his wand and warmed up the locker room while they stood musing. "We're three aurors and an Unspeakable. We should be smart enough to figure out why we're all finding tinsel instead of clothes." He crossed his arms as he looked Millie, Ron and Seamus. "If Ron weren't shaking like a leaf in a snowstorm, I'd reckon it was him, but since he's not laughing like a loon, I'm going to say he's not a suspect. And you, Millie, I saw your name on the rota for prisoner transfers, so you had to leave early this morning, so you're not the troublemaker, but Seamus, we don't see you that often, and I remember sharing a room with you, mate..." his voice trailed away as Millie and Ron advanced on Seamus.

The Unspeakable held up his hands pleadingly. "Hey now, mates! I barely use this locker. You know that, Harry. We Unspeakables have changing rooms down below, and I know you and Ron've been down there." Seamus was babbling as he backed away from the two aurors.

"Stop terrorizing him, you two." Harry began pacing, and then he began sniffing. "Do you smell that? It smells like cinnamon and sugar..." He leaned over the pile of tinsel on the bench and took a great big sniff. "Yeah...I've smelled that somewhere..."

Seamus scooted around Ron and Millie and sniffed the tinsel as well. "You're right, Harry. There's a faint aroma o' rum there, too."

"Rum? It's starting to sound like one of Draco's Christmas punch recipes," Millie mused aloud.

"Malfoy?" Ron asked with a frown. "Why would he prank us? We're on good terms, at least he and me." He looked at the other three.

"Don't look at me, Ron, I've got a date with the man." Harry went back to pacing in front of his locker.

"Draco's one of my dearest friends, but I've done nothing to tweak the twat in the past month, so that lets me out." Millie shrugged and had to grab at her towel as it began to slip down.

Ron turned to Seamus. "That leaves you, Seamus ol' man."

Seamus waved his hands around frantically. "Oh, nay, nay, nay! On ma mother's sainted name, I've no trouble with Malfoy. None!"

Harry stopped and stared at Seamus. "Yeah, you wouldn't have any trouble with Draco since he's one of you. But, there's someone who might have trouble with Draco and me..."

Ron turned his glare on Harry. "What have you got me into this time, Harry?"

"That boy, Cuthbert Wood...Draco was with me when he was captured." Harry mused aloud. "He was trying to impress a girl, a Hufflepuff, Padding, Pudding, something like that."

"Paddington-Potts."

Everyone turned toward the newest voice. Draco stood there, a bit of something bright yellow dribbling down his robes. "Eugenia Paddington-Potts, a Sixth Year Hufflepuff with some very Slytherin tendencies, I think." He didn't raise an eyebrow at Ron or Millie's towel-clad persons but he did wonder at Seamus' presence. "What are you doing here, Finnegan? We don't usually use this locker room."

"Lab accident, Malfoy. I keep a spare set o' robes here, jus' in case," Seamus mumbled.

"We'll talk later, Finnegan," Draco said distinctly, leaving Harry to wonder just what _his_ position really was. "Now, I wager if I reached into any locker I just might find a handful of tinsel and other assorted Christmas things, but no clothing or personal items. Which just proves that young Miss Paddington-Potts has not only an _in_ inside the ministry, but a very good understanding of displacement."

"Displacement?" Ron sputtered. "I'll displace her when I get my hands on her." He shouldered past Harry. 

"Tut-tut, Weasley, you don't want to go out there in your towels. Think of the stories that will circulate, and think of the conjecture that will flow with them..." Draco stared at each of them in turn. "Tho' this approach is overkill. Instead of targeting the two of us," he indicated Harry and himself, "Miss Paddington-Potts chose a scatter-gun approach. Very inefficient, and I never met an inefficient Hufflepuff. I mean, easy going and very _laissez faire_ about things, but not inefficient."

"Then it's more generalized anger at the ministry and not just us, you mean?" Harry asked.

"Hmm, yes, I think it is."

Ron stomped his bare foot. "Well, I don't care what it is, I want my clothes back so I can go home to my family and out with my wife."

Draco clapped his hands. "Did any of you attempt a Christmas wish?"

"Not me." _Harry._

"Nay." _Seamus._

"What rot." _Millie._

"Are you barmy, Malfoy?" _Ron._

Draco glared at each of them, lingering on Ron's fuming face. "Oh, Weasley, hush! All of you lot are missing the point. It's tinsel and Christmas, and it's a bloody romantic Hufflepuff girl...so make a Christmas wish!"

Harry grabbed up the tinsel he'd put on the bench and said, "For my Christmas wish I'd like my street clothes back in their original condition." He tossed the tinsel back into the locker. There was a bang, an explosion of bright light, and then Harry's clothes appeared from wherever they'd been hidden. "Hey, they look brand new!"

Millie ducked behind the lockers and muttered her own wish: "For my Christmas wish I want the best clothes for my date tonight." The same bang and flash came from Millie's locker and then she was laughing. "Oh, yeah, that worked a treat."

Next, Ron stalked over to his locker. He looked over his shoulder at Harry, who nodded encouragingly, and then he bent toward his locker and whispered his Christmas wish. "It didn't work," Ron whinged.

"You need to toss in the tinsel, Ron," Harry gently reminded him.

"Oh, yeah." Ron grabbed up some tinsel from Harry's pile and said his Christmas wish once more, still in a whisper, and then tossed in the tinsel. His flash of bang was more of a whish of air, and the light was green, but when he reached into his locker, there was a set of robes and trousers in his size. There was something else, something that smells like the freshest ground vanilla beans and creamy butter, but Ron hid it under his clothes as he rushed away to dress in privacy.

Harry and Draco shared a smirk. "Okay, Seamus, your turn," Harry coaxed him.

"Aye." Seamus opened a door a few lockers down from Harry's and reached in for some tinsel. He said his wish loudly: "My Christmas wish is for my best extra robes and a few frilly bits to go underneath." He tossed in the tinsel and got a sizzling boom and a shower of sparks.

"Seamus, are you dating someone kinky?" Harry teased with a laugh.

"Yeah, and she'll be ever so pleased with tonight's clothing choices," Seamus said with a lascivious grin as he grabbed his clothes and retreated to another part of the locker room.

Harry dragged out his clothes and began changing. Draco just stood quietly, admiring Harry's trim waist and nicely muscled back. "Why don't you make your wish, Draco?" Harry asked as he toed off his shoes.

"I'll just wait for you all to leave." Draco sat down, his gaze pinned to Harry's bare chest. "Besides, the view is spectacularly good today."

Harry tossed a bit of tinsel at Draco. He was blushing and could feel it covering his chest.

Draco stood up with a soft chuckle. "We'll continue this conversation at another time, Harry. Have a lovely evening." He left the locker room with a last look at Harry.

Millie stepped out from the other side of the lockers, dressed in a form-fitting set of robes that showed off her Junoesque figure to perfection. She preened a bit. "Whatever Paddington-Potts has planned, she's only pulled a prank without any harm to it."

"I have to say Lavender is going to be wowed by you tonight. As to Miss Paddington-Potts, I've got her boyfriend at my beck and call in an hour. I'll ask him when I see him." He pulled on a pale green button-down shirt and began buttoning it.

"You do that, Potter. And, tell the girl that I look forward to meeting her once she's left Hogwarts, if she makes it that far." Millie spun on her heel, her robes flaring out around her ankles. "Ta-ta for now, Potter!"

"Now that I'm dressed, I'm not that mad at the girl, Harry." Ron tugged on the lapels of his outer robe, which looked much nicer than they probably should have. "Just keep her from stepping too far over the line, yeah?" He nodded at Harry. "Give us a Floo Call on Christmas. Mum wants to see you and Draco on Boxing Day, but she wants to know what time's good for you two. See ya, mate!"

Seamus stepped up to his locker, opened it, and tossed in his ruined robes. He grinned at Harry when nothing happened and then he slammed the door shut. "Well, that was fun, Harry. We'll have ta do this agin sometime." He shimmied a bit inside his robes. "But, do me a grand favour and thank the lass for not bein' mean at Christmas time, eh? And, don't be a stranger!" He patted Harry's shoulder as he departed.

Harry sat down on the bench, musing over what had just happened in the past forty minutes. He heard the chimes of a clock and looked at his watch; it was half past two. "Time to find out what Cuthbert knows," he murmured softly.

^^^^^^^^

Harry found Cuthbert where he'd been waiting every day for the past week: sitting on a bench in the hall, outside of his office, and having a conversation with the portrait of Albus Dumbledore.

"Hello, Harry," Albus said, bowing his head. "What do you have planned for young Mr. Wood today?"

"Well, we're going to pick out some presents in Muggle London, sir. I thought he'd enjoy making sure that _all_ the orphans have a gift or two." He looked at Cuthbert and got a wide-eyed look in return.

"That...that would be an adventure," Cuthbert breathed out.

Harry smiled at the boy's excitement and Albus' pleased laughter.

^^^^^^^^

The afternoon flew by as Harry took Cuthbert through all sorts of shops, ending at Harrod's. The boy's eyes were huge once all the gifts were paid for and delivery arrangements were made. Harry checked his watch and saw it was half past five o'clock.

"Let's stop in the tea shop and have a bit of something, Cutty. You look a bit peaked." Harry directed him down an escalator and to the in-house tea shop where they found a small table. Harry left Cuthbert there and went to order for them: a small plate of finger sandwiches and two cups of strong Earl Grey. He delivered the order to the table and sat, the tray it had come on, leaning against the wall at Harry's side.

"So..." Harry reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a handful of tinsel and that Christmas cracker from earlier in the day. "Why would your girlfriend be pranking ministry employees?" He dropped everything in the middle of the table before picking up his tea mug.

Cuthbert swallowed, his eyes on the pile of tinsel. "So, she really did it," he whispered.

Harry patted Cuthbert's nearest hand. "It wasn't lethal or anything, just a bit inconvenient until Draco figured out what was going on." Harry set down the mug and reached for a cucumber finger sandwich. "Honestly, it turned out okay. There was an Unspeakable there, so he got his department head to check the spells and allowed everyone a few minutes in the changing rooms." Harry leaned forward. "The idea of Christmas wishes was sweet, but the application was a bit iffy."

"Eugenia should have been in Slytherin instead of Hufflepuff." Cuthbert turned his mug between his hands, the faint steam rising off the tea swirling into the air in front of him. He seemed to be speaking to it. "She's brilliant at manipulating spells and she's fierce and sly, slyer than most of the Slytherins I know. She's just...she's just overprotective of me, I guess you might say."

"I think she loves you a lot, but she needs to spend a bit of time thinking about how she goes about showing it." Harry looked over at Cuthbert working through what he'd said.

"She doesn't like the ministry. Her aunt married a French Pureblood. When he was found out as a criminal for selling magical items to Muggles, he was banned from England, and so was she. Eugenia lived with them, but her aunt made sure she wasn't part of her uncle's crimes, so now she's living with a...a fostering family." Cuthbert looked up at Harry. "When I got sent down from Hogwarts she was furious, but she's been awfully nice to me, giving me hugs where people can see us and holding my hand when we go to dinner..."

"Cutty, you're rambling," Harry said gently. "Take a sip of your tea before it cools." He grabbed up the tinsel and cracker and shoved the mess back into his jacket pocket. "Just...please let Miss Paddiington-Potts know that she shouldn't have pranked the ministry. It could have gone wrong in so many ways."

Cuthbert leaned forward and grabbed Harry's arm. "Auror Potter...Harry...she's so special..."

A quick trip back to the ministry, a few questions of the MLE Children's Protective Service, and soon Harry and Cuthbert were standing on a doorstep in Cornwall.

"C'mon, Cutty, let's go see your girlfriend. I have a feeling you two haven't been spending enough time together." Harry looked at the rest of the finger sandwiches, and making sure no one was looking in their direction, he scooped them up into a napkin and put it in his pocket as he wandlessly shrank and preserved them. "Up, Cutty. We're going to see your Eugenia."

^^^^^^^^

Harry looked over at Cuthbert. "Ready?" He picked up the heavy iron ring knocker and let if fall. As the loud sound of metal striking metal died away, the thick door opened barely wide enough to show a face.

"State your business." An older woman, hatchet-faced and dressed in puce wool, glared at them, not moving from the narrow space.

Harry showed her his identification. "Harry Potter, Auror, ma'am. I'm here to check on Miss Eugenia Paddinton-Potts. Official ministry business."

The woman sniffed derisively but stepped back and allowed Harry and Cuthbert to come in. She closed the door behind them with a hard shove. "She's a handful, that one. Alus causing trouble. Mistress put her to work in the kitchen." She moved away without saying anything else, but Harry drew her back with a charm until she was standing in from of him, fuming.

"I say again, I'm here to check on Miss Paddington-Potts. You will take us to her and then get your mistress so I may speak with her. Is that understood?"

The old woman nodded once. "I knew you was trouble." Harry ended the charm and she took them to a small door and opened it. "Mrs. McGonagall's in there."

"McGonagall?" Harry pushed the door open farther and yelled out, "Minerva? It's Harry Potter."

"Come in, Harry, come in. We're just making a few puddings to give out to the neighbours."

Cuthbert pushed past Harry in a rush, "Eugenia! I'm here, too!"

A flour-decorated Eugenia ran into his arms, smiling and laughing. "Oh, Bertie, it truly is Christmas! I'm so sorry I couldn't tell you who was fostering me. But I guess you know now." She hugged Cuthbert, transferring the flour to his robes, but he didn't seem to mind from the gobsmacked and happy look on his face.

Harry stepped around the pair to find Minerva in an apron with a smudge of flour on her cheek and up to her elbows in bread dough. "Puddings, eh? Looks more like you're setting up baskets of goodies." He looked over his shoulder and then turned back to his old head of house with a grin. "So, how'd you know she'd need someone like you?" he asked as he shrugged off his robes and rolled up his sleeves.

"A headmistress knows these things, and we have resources, too, young man." She kneaded the dough for a few minutes. "What brings you here, Harry?"

Harry picked up a knife and started peeling and cutting some nearby carrots. "Eugenia there pranked the ministry. Took Draco telling us that we had to make Christmas wishes to see the fun of it." He moved on to onions, chopping them and then mincing them. "She's quite an intelligent young witch."

"Nothing like Hermione, but then no one is." Minerva turned out the bread dough into a greased bowl and then covered it with a tea towel and set it on the hob. She pulled her wand from where it had been tucked behind her ear and tapped the stove once. "There, now the bread will rise while we get the other ingredients ready."

"Auror Potter, I am sorry about what I did to the ministry, but I was just...I just so angry that I wanted to do something...but I didn't hurt anyone, did I?" Eugenia asked in a rush of words, her hands twisting together in front of her. Cuthbert stood behind her, a hand on her shoulder.

"You wouldn't be standing here, covered in flour, if Mr. Potter was here to arrest you, my dear." Minerva pulled a bowl of pea pods towards her and began shelling them.

Harry chuckled. "She's right. I didn't know exactly who was fostering you, but Child Protection had glowing words for me when I got the address. Seeing as it's Minerva McGonagall, well, I have a feeling you already told her what'd you done and you were both working on how to make things better." He picked up a turnip and peeled it before looked at Eugenia.

"I'm going to interview you, have the Unspeakables do a sweep and identify the tinsel-filled lockers, and then turn everyone loose for a Christmas wish which seems to end your spells on Christmas Eve." He cut thick slices of turnip and then cubed them. "You will be do some extracurricular work with Hermione, if Minerva hasn't already told you that, and we'll see if that takes care of the trouble." He tipped the cutting board with the cubed turnip into the bowl with the sliced carrots. "Now, with what I'm cutting up, if you have some beef or even some chicken, we can make a shepherd's pie for dinner and then get all those _puddings_ done for Minerva. What do you say to some kitchen work, Cutty?"

"With pleasure, sir. Mum says I'm a fine prep chef." Cuthbert picked up a knife gingerly. "As long as I don't play with sharp knives." Everyone laughed at the look on his face, and he smiled in return. "But, really, I can bake. Mum lets me do the apple pies and cobblers when I'm home from school."

Harry shared a look with Minerva, who pointedly looked at the pyramid of apples on her sideboard. "Mr. Wood, I do believe baked apple pie would be a wonderful addition to tonight's dinner."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**to be continued**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> adventdrabble prompts 2015
> 
> _Chapter 3_  
>  Dec 19: Office Party  
> Dec 20: Warm Winter's Night  
> Dec 21: Evergreen  
> Dec 22: Tinsel


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N addendum:** Many thanks to all have stopped by and enjoyed my "little" fic. It really was meant to be my version of a drabble, a few hundred words for each day, maybe even a thousand, but this December and January I've been beyond inspired. Again, many thanks to the lovely Alisanne for hosting once again. 
> 
> As you lovely readers can see, my muse decided that one of the longest fics I've ever written was going to be for a community called AdventDrabbles. *snerk* Thus, the addition of a chapter, which I hope will be the final chapter count for this fic. *fingers crossed*

**December 23rd**

 

Harry lay in his bed dreaming about Draco. He had a smile on his face and was mouthing Draco's name when Snowball fluttered through the owl door in the kitchen setting off the alarm bell all aurors had to have in their homes. The god-awful jangling was so dissonant no one could sleep through it—well, Ron had attempted it, but Hermione had shoved him out of bed the two times he'd tried and he never did it again—so Harry found himself wavering at the top of his stairs, still half-asleep as Snowball hooted in the kitchen.

He carefully set one foot in front of the other and got down the stairs without tumbled down them, but just barely. He was all set to congratulate himself when he stubbed his toe on the doorframe of the kitchen and hopped to a chair at the table, glaring blearily at the door and almost missing the chair as he fell onto the seat. Snowball hooted and clacked her beak at Harry, almost laughing at his sour expression. She held out her leg imperiously, and then waved it when Harry didn't hop to fast enough.

Huffing out a put-upon groan, Harry leaned forward and plucked the roll of parchment from its holder. Snowball tilted her head and stared at Harry with big, yellow eyes. One slow blink and Harry was wandlessly summoning a dead mouse from her treat cupboard. "Sorry, sweetheart, I'm not yet awake." She clutched the mouse in her beak and nodded regally before going off to her perch by the kitchen window. "Cheeky owl," Harry muttered as he unrolled the parchment only to squint at it.

He held up a finger and pointed it over his shoulder. " _Accio glasses._ " His glasses flew from his bedside table and to his hand with admirable swiftness. He put them on, took them off to wipe them with his sleep shirt, and then replaced them on his nose. Now the message was clearer, in more ways than one.

"So you were just flying out by the Burrow, were you, girl?" Harry asked Snowball as he reread the scrawled message. "And Molly and Blaise just _happened_ to see your downy white self dive-bombing garden gnomes, eh?" Snowball ignored Harry to set her plumage to rights. "Be that way, you silly thing, but be careful. I know for a fact that that black barn owl of Blaise's thinks you're awfully cute." She turned her back to Harry to preen, one big yellow eye staring over her shoulder at Harry until he chuckled and stood up, the parchment held in one hand.

"Ah, well, thanks for being so close to them, Snowball. Now I've got an invitation to the Weasley's Winter Solstice celebration." He began pulling out eggs and a platter of ham slices and a block of soft cheddar cheese from his refrigerator. A soft hoot warned him that Snowball had seen the platter. "Be good and I'll slice up some ham for you, as a Solstice gift, okay?" He whipped together eggs over easy and fried ham with a simple cheese sauce for himself and a just-warmed pile of shredded ham for Snowball. They ate in a companionable silence, the lightening sky heralding the dawn. Once he was done, Harry did the dishes by hand, let Snowball out to do her own business, and when she was ready to come inside, he waved her to her perch, now boasting a nest of twigs and feathers. She landed in it, scratched and moved some twigs until they were just right and then sat down with an inscrutable look at Harry.

Harry sipped the cup of coffee he'd deemed necessary for the day and toasted Snowball. "Happy Solstice, Snowball. May your feathers never be ruffled and your prey be slow." As if she understood, the owl bent her head in Harry's direction and then hid her face under a wing.

Putting the empty coffee cup into the sink, Harry smiled softly at Snowball. "Wish I had time to got back to bed, but someone in this house has to work before going out for fun."

A faint click-click-clack from under her wing made Harry smile. It was as if she'd said, "That's your problem, Harry."

^^^^^^^^

Since he was up earlier than usual, Harry took himself to the ministry and an early morning training session with other seasoned aurors. He sparred a bit with Kingsley—still quite fit in spite of being the Minister of Magic and all the sitting that entailed—and then with several other aurors he'd with which he'd trained.

Later, Harry found himself in the changing rooms, smiling as everyone's locker gave them Christmas wishes, some of which had the men blushing and hiding things under their robes before darting off to get dressed. Kingsley laughed so hard, Harry had to go see what amused the minister so much and found Kingsley sitting on the bench in front of his locker holding a scale model of a Wizarding pirate ship complete with animated pirates and firing cannons.

"Pretty cool, Kingsley," Harry said as he saw some of the small pirates climbing the rigging.

Kingsley looked up with a grin. "That Miss Paddington-Potts is quite talented, Harry. This could have been a real mess, and yet she's given everyone something that makes them feel the wonder of Christmas." He smiled as he looked down at the pirate in the crow's nest, a telescope to his tiny eye, looking toward some distant shore. "I always wanted to sail the seven seas and meet a real pirate, like in _Treasure Island_ or _Pirates of the Caribbean_. Made my mum afraid I might run away to sea." Kingsley's grin grew bigger. "Thank goodness we lived in the Lake District for a few years. Got the sailing bug out of my system when I fell out of Sir Reggie's rowboat one summer." He laughed heartily and Harry joined in.

"But you still love pirates, eh?" Harry gestured to the pirate ship, the small pirates now gathering on the deck in rag-tag ranks.

"Hmm, yeah. Tell Miss Paddington-Potts that I want a letter from her when she'd taken her N.E.W.T.s. The ministry's going to need more imaginative witches and wizards in the future." Kingsley put down the pirate ship and the pirates froze in position, even the skull-and-crossbones caught in mid-flutter. "I think Malfoy would be an excellent mentor for her, don't you?" he said apropos of nothing.

Caught off-balance, Harry shrugged. "Yeah, I guess, I mean, if he has time."

Kingsley finished dressing, putting on his boots and then standing up. "Don't worry about it, Harry, I'll talk to him after the New Year. You just tell your boyfriend that I'll be looking forward to seeing him then, eh?" Kingsley smiled and tapped the stern of the pirate ship so that all the pirates disappeared into the hold. "Now, I'm off to put this beauty in pride of place in my office. A blessed Solstice to you, Harry."

Chimes ringing out half past eight o'clock got Harry walking back to his locker so he could finish dressing himself. Then he headed out, his latest Christmas wish hidden in his trouser pocket and a small smile on his lips.

^^^^^^^^

"Blessed Solstice, Harry!"

"G'morning, Blaise. I got your invitation very, very early this morning." Harry looked up at Blaise's bright eyes. "...which makes me wonder why. I know Molly doesn't do that early of a morning unless she's planned it."

"Well, ah, I was out with Ginevra. My mother has always celebrated the Solstice Dawn, and Ginevra wanted to do something for my family...but the Weasleys celebrate before then..." Blaise's dark skin got even darker as he blushed. His eyes wouldn't meet Harry's as he cleared his throat and continued. "As a newly engaged couple, there are also some Solstice rituals to be done, according to _Mama_ , and Ginevra's a real stickler for going all the way when she's going to do something..." He bit his lip. 

"Please," Harry begged, waving his hands in front of his face, "please, don't tell me the exact rituals. I want to be able to look at both of you without _those kinds_ of pictures popping up." He laughed at Blaise's look of half-relief and half-annoyance.

"When you and Draco get engaged, Potter, you'll find out and then you won't even have to wonder. But, anyhow, I'm bringing by your part of tonight's ritual as Ginny and I've worked out a bit of a compromise." Blaise put down a scroll with red edges in front of Harry. "We'll be gathering at nine o'clock tonight at the Burrow. Then we'll Port-Key to Stonehenge so everyone can meet my mother and trade Solstice greetings. After that, at latest 11:00 p.m., we'll Port-Key to the Giant's Causeway to celebrate with the Malfoys and the Snape-Lupins so we greet the renewed day at midnight." Blaise rocked on his heels. "You won't mind catching up Draco later, will you? He told me he hadn't asked if you celebrated the Winter Solstice, so..."

Harry shook his head. "No, no, it's all right. Being raised as a Muggle, it's hit or miss celebrating any of the solstices, but for family, I'll be there for certain." Harry looked up as a ministry memo flew into his office and circled his head before dropping suddenly and crashing into his desktop. "Looks like duty calls. I'll do everything in my power to be there by nine, but if I'm late, I'll find you all at Stonehenge, okay?"

^^^^^^^^

An hour later, Harry was knee-deep in Highland snow and tracking a kidnapper. He, Ron, and another auror, Digby Digglesworth—barely out of training, that one—were following the magical trail of one Hieronymus Lackey, a wizard from South London who'd kidnapped his brother's prize-winning pedigreed kneazle, King Bronze Bottom Champion, and was demanding a 250,000 Galleons ransom and the latest trophy.

"Bloody hell, Harry, who in their right mind kidnaps a kneazle, especially one with a name longer than the damned thing's tail?" Ron groused as his warming charms failed yet again. "Hit me with some heat, Harry. I'm freezing out here."

"Auror Weasley, why _aren't_ your heating charms holding?" Digglesworth asked in a nasal voice. "They're simple magic." He stood under a snowy fir tree, faint shimmers of heat rising off of his form.

Harry shook his head at the audacity, but decided to let it slide. Digglesworth was going to get it with both barrels if he kept harping on about Ron's charms, so someone had to keep their eyes on the end goal: rescue King Bronze Bottom Champion and snare the kidnapper, all without anyone losing a limb. He renewed the heating charms on Ron's robes and his gloves before turning back to the trail.

So the three aurors tromped through the Scottish Highland, on the other side of the Forbidden Forest, looking for Lackey and the kneazle with Ron's temper burning brighter and brighter as Digglesworth commented on Ron's lack of drying charms for his boots and inadequate investigative spells and anything else Ron did, yet all he had for Harry was praise, and that was just as irritating to both Harry and Ron.

After an hour of blizzard conditions, they finally came to Lackey's croft, tucked so closely to the mountainside that the snowfall had almost camouflaged it. The pines to either side were so covered with snow that they looked like small mountain peaks themselves. With hand motions, Harry directed Ron and Digglesworth toward them as he took the front.

Once the others were in position, Harry knocked on the door. He stood with his hands loosely held at his sides and rocking on his heels while a bolt was pulled back and the thick wooden door was pulled open. The man who greeted him was covered in scratches and quite a few wicked bites. He even whimpered a bit as the cold air rushed inside.

"Wha...what do you want?" he asked suspiciously. He looked at Harry, then craned his head to look around him. "It's snowing...and...and no one comes here even when it's _not_ snowing..." his voice trailed away and the door began closing as he shuffled backward.

Harry leaned forward, put his arm out, and held the door open. "I'm here from the Aurors' Beneficence Fund. I'm collecting kneazles for charity. Do you happen to have one I might take, Mr. Lackey?" he asked with a smile.

Hieronymus Lackey flinched back from the door, tripped over the stolen kneazle as it was getting ready to attack his ankles once more, and waved his hands in a denying motion. "Aurors?! Aurors! Oh, no, no, no!" He hopped awkwardly over the kneazle, sneezed a tremendous sneeze, and backed into a bureau, tumbling an award topped by a golden kneazle. Then, he sneezed again, fell to the side a bit, hit his head on the wall next to the bureau, and slid down it to land with a thump, his feet splayed out in front of him. King Bronze Bottom Champion took the opportunity to spring into action and jump on the man's lap with all claws extended.

Harry still stood in the doorway, with Ron and Digglesworth were looking over his shoulders at the carnage. Each of their mouths were agape as they winced in sympathy as Lackey howled in pain, the kneazle yowled in triumph, and a crystal vase from the bureau gave up the uneven fight with gravity and fell on Lackey's abused head.

Harry looked his shoulders, first at Ron and then at Digglesworth. He thought they looked just as stunned as he must. "Ah...you should go first, Ron. Hermione's got HERMIONE"S KNEAZLE and his girlfriend, right? You know how to handle kneazles."

Ron just pushed Harry forward and through the door. "No, Harry, N-O! You're the animal lover here." 

Harry turned slightly to look incredulously at his best friend.

Digglesworth was backpedalling as fast he could in the ever-growing snow. "You can't make me, Auror Potter. I never took a class in kneazle-catching," he said in a rush.

Harry threw up his hands and turned back to advance on the groggy Lackey and his furry captive-turned-captor. He glanced around and saw a block of cheese on a carving board on table and got an idea. Several spells later, there were cheese mice squeaking and scurrying around the legs of the bureau, distracting King Bronze Bottom Champion from kneading Lackey to insensibility and allowing Harry to conjure a cage around the pedigreed kneazle from a safe distance.

^^^^^^^^

Harry sat at his desk, eating a salad from Draco's latest restaurateur classes, writing up the case of _Lackey v. Killer Kneazle_ , chuckling every so often as he had to change some of the phrasing to something a bit more professional. He'd been lucky to stop by as Draco was going from luncheon salads to evening starters and aperitifs.

Someone rapped on his door and then stepped inside without waiting for Harry to answer.

"I see you enjoy much healthier food these days, Harry." 

Harry dropped his Muggle pen and leapt up from his chair. "Remus!" He rounded his desk to give his honorary godfather a hug and then took his place as Remus sat down with a sigh. "I'm here to make certain you'll be celebrating Winter Solstice tonight with us on the Giant's Causeway. Per Teddy's orders, you understand," he said with a gentle laugh.

"I have this report to file, and then some trainee paperwork, but if nothing else comes up, I should be coming from Stonehenge with Blaise and the Weasleys." Harry looked at the clock on the opposite wall. "It's only four o'clock in the afternoon. I'd say I have loads of time."

"Well, Teddy also asked if you could bring something for the solstice picnic." Remus grinned as Harry looked gobsmacked.

"Oh, no one told you we'll be having a bit of a midnight buffet since this is in the way of a family reunion of sorts. Minerva will be stopping by for a bit with her latest beau, and Narcissa and Andromeda have been looking forward to when Teddy could stay up late enough to greet the lengthening day. Lucius said that he'd be bringing old Mrs. Longbottom as a surprise; she's a cousin of sorts and even Mrs. Parkinson said she'd come even tho' the kids are still on their honeymoon. So, we need food." Remus looked remarkably composed listing off all those people as Harry's jawed dropped open.

"I forgot, you're Minerva's grandson, aren't you?" Harry finally blurted out.

Remus smiled slightly. "Yes, and we don't spread it around, even if she's proud of all her kin, including me. But, that's neither here nor there, Harry. We were talking food. Draco's bringing [smoked salmon, dill & lemon pâté](http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1993661/smoked-salmon-dill-and-lemon-pat-) which he somehow got Teddy to try and which the boy practically begged him to make for solstice and fresh-baked baguettes with herbed butter. Severus has some sausages and cheeses he's been salivating over for the past month. Narcissa had her house-elves make some elderberry syrup for mixing with Muggle soda water and she's even been to the house to cook with Severus, something with parsnips." Remus sat back and patted his stomach. "Merlin knows exactly what we're having, but I guarantee it will be delicious."

Harry bit his lip. "I don't have a lot of time, but I can make a [brie, apple and onion tart](http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/brie-apple-onion-tart) or a [cranberry and white chocolate panettone](http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/147611/cranberry-and-white-chocolate-panettone) or something. I've made both before and Teddy's had the panettone so I know he liked it." Harry glanced at the clock. "All right. Let me finish this report. The trainee work can wait until after the hols."

Remus stood up and grinned. "Then I'll leave you to it." He stuck out his hand and stepped close enough to shake Harry's hand over the desk. "If you run into any trouble, let Severus or Draco know. Those two have got their end all squared away and could help out. Now, go, write your report and we'll see you tonight." He waves as he stepped out into the hallway.

Harry turned his attention back to the report and scribbled away intently. He signed his name with a flourish and cast a Spelling-checker Charm on it before he was satisfied with it. Then, he rolled up the report and got ready to leave for the day. Another knock on the doorframe and Draco was leaning there, watching with interest as Harry shrugged into his outer robes and then deposited his report in the file cabinet so it could reappear in the main auror files for review.

"Potter, anyone ever tell you that you hurry in a most handsome manner?" Draco asked with an affected drawl.

"Nope, Malfoy, but then, no one as handsome as you had been in my office for a few hours," Harry replied with a laugh. He took a Molly Weasley-knitted muffler from a hook by the file cabinet and wrapped around his throat. "There, now I'm ready to brave the cold and my kitchen. Hey, speaking of kitchens...you didn't tell me I needed to make something for tonight."

Draco stood away from the doorframe as Harry pulled the door to and locked it. "I should have known better, Harry, but I thought someone who shall remain nameless—Severus—had told you." Draco fell into step with Harry as they wove through the hall and around other ministry workers leaving a bit early.

"Well, now that you're here, and if you have time, you can help me make something so I can go to Blaise's solstice celebration and the Snape-Lupin-slash-Malfoy Family Reunion Winter Solstice Picnic," Harry said with a huge grin.

"I heard those capital letters, Harry. I think you're looking forward to this, unexpected cooking and or baking aside." Draco stepped closer to Harry's side as they ducked into an almost packed lift just before the doors closed. "That's good. I'm looking forward to tonight as well."

^^^^^^^^

Cooking with Draco was a bit like snogging him as far as Harry was concerned. It was illuminating and exhilarating and fraught with adventure and spicy. He loved every minute of it.

While the brie, apple and onion tart cooled and [a frozen pudding ice cream](http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/78600/christmas-pudding-ice-cream) that Harry had planned for Christmas Day chilled in the icebox, Harry and Draco went over his part in Blaise's Winter Solstice celebration.

Harry shook his head. "I had no idea that there was so much tradition around the Winter solstice."

"You didn't grow up with it, so that's understandable." Draco stirred some caramelized onions and then took the pan off the flame. "Hand me those scrambled eggs." Harry passed over two plates with scrambled eggs on them and watched Draco ladle the semi-transparent onions over the heaps. "There, that should hold us until we have a proper meal later tonight." Harry carried the plates to the table as Draco pulled couple of bottles of Muggle ale from the refrigerator.

"So, you like Guinness, Draco?" Harry asked as he traded a plate for an opened bottle of stout.

"Mm, it's an acquired taste, but the Guinness family has a great many wizards and witches in the family, so it's found in a great many Pureblood households. Kind of a dark, open secret." Draco took a sip and closed his eyes in appreciation. "Nothing like a good stout. Add a piece of thick, crusty bread and some hearty cheese and it's a full-English, in my opinion."

Harry tipped his own ale bottle toward Draco. "Yeah, I know what you mean. Aunt Petunia, even if she hated me, never let me miss her Guinness recipes. She had this one, a [Guinness, ginger and treacle pud](http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2604660/guinness-treacle-and-ginger-pudding) that was so rich, it was sinful, and she couldn't help showing off that she was sharing it with me. I stole the recipe when I left her house the last time." Harry looked startled when that last bit came out. "I don't mean _stole_ , exactly..."

Draco chuckled as he speared a bit of egg and caramelized onions. "I understand, Harry. When I decided to join the ministry, first as an Unspeakable and then in my current position, Father was furious when he found out I wasn't going to do anything to promote the Malfoy name. I took Father's favourite menu when I ran away to Severus, and forbid the house-elves to even make it without me being in residence. It took him two years to forgive me so he could have properly made Yorkshire Puddings."

The clock on the mantle chimed half past seven.

Draco finished his eggs and onions and then his Guinness. "I'd better get back to Severus'. I've got to get dressed and take our picnic basket to the manor so Mother can send it on with the house-elves before we all converge on the Causeway later." He stood up, plate and fork in one hand and empty bottle in the other. "Remember to dress warmly, Harry. Once the warming charms wane, you've got to endure it until the ceremony ends, at least that's how I remember the Zabini Winter Solstice celebrations."

"Hey." Harry stood, his own empty plate and fork floating off toward the kitchen. He reached out and pulled Draco into a hug. "Thank you." Harry pressed a kiss to the corner of Draco's mouth, licked the bit of oniony sweetness there. Draco squirmed, his hands occupied. "I can't wait to share this Winter Solstice with you." He kissed the other corner of Draco's mouth. "You're like a Christmas present that keeps on giving, you know?" 

Draco let the empty plate and fork hover in the air as he wrapped his arms around Harry. "And so are you. I never thought I'd be the one you want to kiss on the Solstice, or any time, for that matter."

Harry leaned back in Draco's embrace, the empty Guinness bottle rubbing up and down between his shoulder blades as Draco looked dreamily down at him. "Well, why don't we give each other something to hold us over until Christmas Eve?"

^^^^^^^^

Harry stood behind Blaise and Ginny as they read aloud from a scroll floating in front of them. Across the aisle, Mrs. Zabini stood with Molly and Arthur at her side, reading from another scroll, in counterpoint to Blaise and Ginny. Draco stood behind them, and like Harry, he cast spells and charms to illustrate portions of the readings. They knew they were doing a good job when the children clapped and cooed at the images of the Phoenix of Yuletide and the representation of the visit of Father Christmas—who looked a great deal like Albus Dumbledore when Harry thought about it.

After the Zabini reading, an elderly witch and wizard sent up twin charms to invite any and all engaged couples to the centre circle of Stonehenge to form a ring around the altar. When all the jostling and laughing died down, the old couple stood under the lintel stone and began a rite in some fluid language that sounded like nothing Harry had ever heard. He found himself standing near Draco and stealthily clasped the other man's hand as the ancient words swelled inside the henge. Soon, a warm golden glow began to shine around those in the ring and then spill out to the crowd around them, bringing the great stone circle to glimmering life as the golden light lit up the Winter Solstice night.

Harry's hand tightened around Draco's as a tingling set their clasped hands vibrating. The magic of the rite surrounded all the celebrating witches and wizards and then the ancient words of the elderly witch and wizard fell silent as the golden glow peaked and slowly faded into everyone's skin. Soon, the engaged couples were congratulating each other and people were taking their leave of each other.

"Well, did you enjoy your first Winter Solstice celebration, Harry?" Draco asked before he raised their joined hands and kissed the back of Harry's.

Harry stepped closer and manoeuvred their hands behind Draco's back and then hugged him with his free arm. "I can't wait to be in that circle one Winter Solstice, Draco. I hope you'll be there with me?" He left the question hanging between them as he kissed Draco's cheek softly.

Draco's lips curled into a small smile as he looked Harry in the eye. "One day, when we're ready, yes, I'll be right by your side, Harry."

^^^^^^^^

At 11:10 p.m., Harry and Draco Side-Along Apparated to the Giant's Causeway. It took a bit of searching through and greeting other ministry employees and former classmates in the crowd, but, finally, they found Narcissa Malfoy directing the Malfoy house-elves and anyone else she could convince to lay out the buffet offerings on some tables. Teddy was running around playing tag with Victoire Weasley and some other Weasley-Prewett-Black cousins, one or two that might have been from the Dumbledore camp if one went by the twinkling eyes.

"I thought this was Snape-Lupin-slash-Malfoy family reunion, Draco." Harry looked around and counted at least forty adults and at least a dozen children. "There are a lot more folks here than the Snape-Lupins and the Malfoys I know."

"If you're a Pureblood, you're related to almost every other Pureblood, Harry. Severus' mum was a Prince, one of the oldest Pureblood families known, and, well, Lupin's family is quite large even though they don't all have the same surname, so that's one portion of the crowd accounted for. You have some direct cousins here as well, as part of Mother's Christmas gift to you. In fact, if you called Molly Weasley _cousin_ , you wouldn't be wrong. She's actually your second cousin twice removed or something like that, I think." Draco laughed at the gobsmacked look on Harry's face. "After the Christmas hols, I'll introduce you to Memo Longbottom, a distant cousin of Neville's. He's a genealogy buff and while most Purebloods turn their noses up at the Muggle research he's done, we all take advantage of the information when it comes to inheritances and family connections."

"I have cousins?" Harry said dazedly. He reached out blindly for Draco's hand. "I'm not alone?"

Draco pulled Harry close. "Never again, Harry. You've got me, and Severus and Remus and Teddy, and all the Weasleys, and even Mother and Father and Mrs. Parkinson, and Aunt Andromeda..."

Harry swallowed. "I'm not alone," he said wonderingly. He turned shining eyes up to Draco. "I never knew." He looked around and suddenly laughed. "Oh, this will burn the Dursleys like nothing else could." He flung his arms around Draco and spun the taller man around twice before stumbling to a stop. "Best gift ever!" he crowed.

"Well, of course it is. I was involved." Narcissa stood just behind Harry's shoulder, a dainty mitten-covered hand on Lucius' forearm. "I wanted to show you that you are truly part of our world and we do appreciate you and not just your magic, Harry, dear."

Harry let go of Draco and stepped close enough to kiss Narcissa's cheek. "Thank you, ma'am. Very thoughtful and something I'll be enjoying for ages to come." He held out his hand to Lucius, looked at the arm crooked for Narcissa, and stepped up and into Lucius to give him a one-armed hug which shocked Lucius into immobility for several minutes while Narcissa laughed softly at his side.

A red-faced Draco quickly dragged his boyfriend away from his parents while muttering at Harry, "My hugs, no sharing, Harry." 

Once they were away from the senior Malfoys, Draco slowed his hurried pace and let Harry catch up properly. They found themselves by the Lupin-Snape tables where Severus was uncovering platters with cheese, smoked sausages, and breads and muffins. Remus was lighting a warming pot under a brazier holding a soup tureen and trying to keep small hands from stealing any food before they were supposed to. Amazingly, old Mrs. Longbottom and Mrs. Parkinson were standing next to him, putting their own offerings on the table, and even teasing Remus with how happy he'd made Severus. Even Draco goggled at that sight for a bit.

Finally, Narcissa snapped her fingers and house-elves scurried around gathering up the guests. A phantom bell began tolling and soon other groups coalesced along the Giant's Causeway. Once the last bell was fading, Lucius began welcoming everyone. Then it was Remus and Severus' turn to do the pretty. Then, some of the children were prodded forward to sing a Winter Solstice song of renewal and change.

Harry clapped along with everyone and then wandered from Draco's side toward Severus as he stood by the table. "This has been a remarkable day, Severus."

"I heard you caught a kneazle-napper without anyone one but he being injured, and now you've found you're part of a very large family you never knew about." He reached down and took a sausage from Teddy with a whispered, "One at a time, Ted."

"Trust you to know that I was doing earlier." Harry plucked the other sausage from Severus' hand and toasted Teddy with it, much to the boy's delight, especially if one went by how brilliant his turquoise hair was. "But, no, it's the whole Winter Solstice thing...." Harry took a bite of the sausage and waved it around vaguely. "I never felt so much togetherness before."

"Ah, yes. From what I've gathered from Mrs. Longbottom the Elder, this is what it felt like the solstices after Grindelwald's defeat, right up to the Dark Dork's first appearance." Severus never batted an eye at the adulterated nickname, but Harry had to have his back thumped a couple of times as he breathed in sausage instead of air in shock. Once Harry could breathe again, Severus continued, "I say it's the natural response to the relief of freedom, Harry, and part of _your_ gift to the Wizarding World." Severus stuck out his hand. "For my part, thank you."

Harry shook Severus' hand and then tugged him forward for quick hug. "I'll share the thanks with you, Severus. I couldn't have done it without you." Both of them had pink tips on their ears and both of them were suddenly interested in food. "So...what kind of cheeses do you have? I used brie on my onion and apple tart."

"Ah..." Severus looked a bit uncertain, "about your tart. It seems it smelled so delicious that Remus and Teddy sampled it. I myself am hoping you would make it for Boxing Day when you come for your gifts."

"Did you get to sample it, Severus?" Draco asked as he reached around Harry for a slice of orange cheddar.

"Well, once it was cut into, I couldn't let it go to waste." Harry and Draco bumped shoulders and laughed as others came by to grab a bit of the food from the Snape-Lupin table and to urge others to Narcissa's portion of the edibles. 

Soon everyone had a plate of food and was sitting on warming charmed blankets and sharing stories and laughing together. Songs were sung and memories shared, and Harry never felt so included in the Wizarding World as he greeted the lengthening day in the company of his friends and newfound family.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**to be continued**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> adventdrabble prompts 2015
> 
> _Chapter 4_  
>  Dec 23: Winter Solstice

**Author's Note:**

> adventdrabble prompts 2015
> 
> _Chapter 1_  
>  Dec 1: Winter Sunrise  
> Dec 2: Snowball Fight  
> Dec 3: Peppermint Toads  
> Dec 4: Fruitcake  
> Dec 5: Frozen Pond  
> Dec 6: Ice Sculpture  
> Dec 7: Santa [a.k.a. Father Christmas] Costumes  
> Dec 8: Winter Wedding  
> Dec 9: Christmas Birthday  
> Dec 10: Snow Covered Garden  
> Dec 11: Orange and Cinnamon  
> Dec 12: Drunk Elf Caroling


End file.
